Permanent Vacation
by hoopznyoyo
Summary: Lucifer isn't listening to anyone about returning to hell. Maybe an old friend can convince him. (Thanks to Judith Tarr for introducing all sorts of magical beings in her books and providing some inspiration for the OC) Part II will be following shortly. The adventure is just beginning. The first chapter of Part II has been posted and the story continues.
1. Chapter 1

Outside the door to Lux a human form appeared seemingly from nowhere. As it was well before opening time and no one noticed as the shape opened the door and slipped inside.

"And here I thought you wouldn't show up," Maze said from behind the bar.

"It had crossed my mind but you're not the only one voicing concerns," a female voice replied. "Although, I'm not sure what any of you think I can do."

"You can try to talk some sense into him. He might actually listen to you," Maze replied matter-of-factly. "Do you want a drink?"

As the figure shook her head no, her long red hair seemed to move of its own accord like flames around her head and shoulders. She looked around the room and then asked, "Talk some sense into him? Are we still talking about Lucifer?"

Maze laughed and they continued an uneasy, guarded conversation. As the pair spoke, Lucifer walked in with Chloe. Neither paid any attention to the bartender and her companion until the mysterious figure turned around in her chair to face them.

"Oriel!?" Lucifer said in surprise, a smile slowly forming on his face.

"We need to talk," Oriel stated eschewing pleasantries. "Alone."

"Very nice to see you, too," he said sarcastically and led the way to his personal area.

"Is that his ex?" Chloe asked Maze as Oriel and Lucifer disappeared up the stairs.

"Not quite," Maze replied vaguely and gave Chloe a look that said that the subject was closed.

"This is a new look for you. I rather like it," Lucifer told Oriel as he gave her an approving once over. She was wearing slim black jeans, a red brocade bustier and black fitted jacket along with black high-heeled boots.

"No one ever tells you what to wear to a nightclub run by a fallen angel," she mused and pushed her hair out of her eyes. Oriel's long red hair reflected every color found in a roaring fire despite none being present while her eyes seemed to glow with a blue-green light. "I would hate to be turned away at the door."

"I don't think you need to worry about that. To what do I owe this visit?" Lucifer asked.

"You're causing a stir," she replied as she looked him directly in the eyes.

"I usually do," he answered flippantly.

"I'm serious," she retorted slightly angered.

"So am I," he said remaining calm.

"I'm usually left out of your squabbles, Lucifer," Oriel told him. "This time I was asked to intercede."

"My father asked you to stop by?" Lucifer asked. The astonishment was evident in his voice and on his face.

"You flatter me, but no, he's content to allow you to your own devices for the moment. Being the favorite has its perks," she answered.

"I'm not the favorite," he grumbled.

"If you weren't you never would have gotten this far, you do realize that much, don't you?" Oriel asked.

"And now my brother wants you to talk me into going back?" he questioned.

"Amenadiel?" she asked as he nodded. "Haven't heard from him. He still prefers to pretend I don't exist."

As he looked at her quizzically, she continued, "We could be here a millennia or two while you guess, so let's end this. It was Mazikeen."

"Maze called you?" Lucifer wondered aloud.

"I know; surprise, surprise. Perhaps hell _has_ frozen over in your absence," Oriel replied.

 _"Funny._ What did she say?" he asked.

"Sorry to disappoint but there was no long demon-to-demon conversation about you," she told him and then asked. "Lucifer, what are you doing?"

"I retired. I was bored," he answered succinctly. "I know we've discussed this before but I don't think you're a demon."

"What I am or am not is a debate for another time. So, the devil retires to Los Angeles; how apropos and yet cliché," Oriel said cynically and then stated, "You're not bored."

"I was very bored," he stated.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" she pressed. "I know you're not bored; you're angry."

"Angry?" Lucifer asked with raised eyebrows.

"Mm-hmmm; angry. Angry that humans blame you for everything," Oriel answered. "The devil made me do it and all that. Unfortunately, your temper tantrum is going to have lasting effects….on everything."

"You expect me to care?" he questioned.

"You should. When it all ends, then what?" she replied.

"It's not all going to end. You're being a trifle dramatic," he stated and changed the subject. "So have you missed me?"

"I knew trying to talk to you would be pointless," Disheartened, Oriel turned away from him. "I need to be going."

Lucifer jumped in front of her and said, "You could stay; it's been awhile. We could catch up, like we did in Perth. You could tell me your deepest desire."

"Tell you what I really want – more than anything?" she asked and rolled her eyes as he nodded. Before answering, she reached out and gently stroked the side of his face. "What I really want is for you not to die. Unfortunately, you seem determined to do so."

"Oriel…," he began.

"I need to go Lucifer," she said interrupting him. "You know you can always find me if you ever want to talk and catch up; it is in your power. And if you call, I'll come." She turned and disappeared into the air.

Lucifer walked back down to the bar alone, the conversation with Oriel replaying in his head.

"If you need some time," Chloe said looking up the staircase.

"Hmm? Oriel?" he asked. "She had to leave."

"I didn't know there was a door to the street up there," Chloe answered.

"There isn't," he said with a smile.

"Then how?" she asked.

"You won't believe me if I tell you detective," Lucifer told her.

Oriel left Lux and took herself to the top of a mountainside in the Pacific Northwest. As she sat pondering the day's events and playing with shadows on the snow she heard a rustling behind her. She slowly turned her head and caught sight of Amenadiel out of the corner of her eye.

"I should have known it was only a matter of time before you showed up," she said turning her attention back to the shadows.

"I heard you spoke with my brother," Amenadiel said.

"Word travels fast," Oriel answered.

"Did you get through to him?" the angel asked.

"I can't work miracles," she said and watched as the swirled shadow on the snow disappeared as her attention focused on Amenadiel.

"Talk to him again, Oriel. Try to get him to see the big picture," he told her.

"You're asking for my help?" she asked. "That's got to hurt since you despise me."

"How I feel about you has nothing to do with this," the angel replied. "The two of you have a special bond. He tends to hear what you say."

"Hearing and listening are two very different things," Oriel stated and now somewhat annoyed asked, "So, why _do_ you hate me, Amenadiel? Is it the age difference between me and Lucifer? Or, is it that you really hoped the devil would have hastened my demise and left one less of my kind in creation. You never counted on him saving me. Either way, you need to talk to your father and stop blaming me."

"You bound yourself to him Oriel. You weren't thinking of the consequences," Amenadiel told her.

"Are you sure of that?" Oriel asked earnestly.

"One day you may need to choose," the angel replied.

"I'm well aware of that; I always have been," she answered while looking directly into his eyes.

"Will you go and speak with him again?" Amenadiel asked not looking away.

Oriel thought for a time before answering, "I will, but my decision has nothing to do with you. You should think about the big picture, too , Amenadiel - without any personal agendas included."


	2. Chapter 2

"You didn't speak to him yet," Amenadiel stated from behind Oriel.

"Life was much more fun when the celestial stalking was done somewhat covertly. Does heaven take an interest in everyone like this or is it just me?" Oriel asked as she turned around. She had been wandering through a patch of trees at the base of Glastonbury Tor; the area that she now called home.

"You brought this on yourself, Oriel – a long time ago," the angel replied seriously.

"Did I?" she countered angrily with a toss of her head, her blue-green eyes flaring. "Lucifer found _me,_ remember; _how_ , I don't know. I do know I didn't conjure him up, call on him, or even open a door and invite him in."

"You didn't exactly turn him away," he told her with an icy gaze.

Unintimidated, she shrugged, "He's a great conversationalist."

"You said you were going to speak to him again, Oriel," Amenadiel said, redirecting the conversation.

"And I will, in time. It's not like he's going anywhere," Oriel stated.

"Lucifer's little stunt has gone on long enough. Every day you don't talk to him is another day closer," the angel began to say.

"To all hell breaking loose?" she broke in. "I'm not stupid, Amenadiel. If it was a dire situation you wouldn't be here talking to me, you'd be dealing with Lucifer yourself right now."

"It's only a matter of time. Surely _you_ can see that," Amenadiel responded.

"I don't foresee things as well as some of my kind – I don't have that gift. I can only follow the paths for a bit," Oriel explained to him as she cupped her hand and caught some sunlight that was streaming through the leaves. "I can see where things may lead … if nothing changes."

"Then you can see that Lucifer needs to go back to hell. Otherwise, he may get hurt," the angel replied seriously and looked at her with annoyance. "I'm sorry if that messes with your plans."

"Amenadiel, I don't have any plans. If you'd put aside your disdain for me for a short time, you'd see that we actually do sort of want the same thing," she told him with a glare and opened her fingers to let the bright light spill through them.

"Then why are you wasting time?" Amenadiel asked.

"I have never followed your brother around like a lapdog or besotted schoolgirl and I'm not about to start. If you don't like that, go talk to him yourself….AGAIN!" Oriel said angrily and disappeared.

* * *

"Penny for your thoughts, detective," Lucifer said as they drove out to a crime scene about a week after Oriel's visit to Lux. "You're awfully quiet."

"I've just been thinking about the other day … at Lux," Chloe answered.

"Ooh, do tell," he replied with interest.

"I'm wondering how your ex left the bar without anyone seeing her. Did she fly?" she asked.

"Don't be silly, Oriel doesn't have wings and she's not my ex," he answered.

"Not your ex?" Chloe pressed. "You obviously know each other very well."

"It's complicated," Lucifer told her shortly with a sideways glance.

"I'll bet. Having to explain that bartender of yours and having some fun with the bar stragglers, not to mention the shrink must be exhausting for you," she guessed. "Why she would put up with it, and you, is a whole other question."

"She knows I am the very devil," he said with a smirk.

"You think that makes your actions acceptable?" she asked incredulous with her eyebrows raised.

"And possibly understandable," Lucifer said nodding.

"You really are full of yourself, do you know that?" Chloe questioned.

"It's not all about me, no matter what you might think. Oriel's free to do whatever, and whomever, she wants," he told her with a smile.

"I'm sure she was happy to hear that," she replied with a look on her face that said otherwise.

"It seems to work," he said with a slight shrug and got out of the car.

A few hours later, Lucifer leaned up against the car as Chloe finished up gathering what evidence and information she could from the area. As she came up next to him, he remained staring off into the distance as if he was searching for something. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Something's not quite right," he said and glanced around again.

"Everything looks fine to me," Chloe replied as she looked around. "Same as usual."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker in the distance. "Stay here," he told Chloe as he dashed off with inhuman speed.

"What are you doing here?" Lucifer asked as he strode up.

"Waiting for you," Oriel said plainly and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"If you wanted to see me, you could've waited at Lux," he told her.

"We both know that's not a good idea," she said with a short laugh.

"Oh, I don't know about that," he replied with a smile. "You and Maze seemed to get along during your last visit."

"In case you've forgotten, she wanted me there. Having completed the task she set me, I doubt it my sudden appearance would go as well," Oriel answered. "Do you ever wonder who would win that battle?"

"I try not to think about that," Lucifer stated as he looked into her eyes. He then changed the subject. "Seeing as how you stayed around, you _must_ really miss me even though you don't want to admit it."

"I went home and came back," Oriel answered cheerfully her red hair blowing in the breeze.

"You really, really missed me," he replied as she laughed. "What do you want Oriel?"

"To talk more although that won't be happening now," she told him her attention now directed over his shoulder as Chloe walked up to them. "Can you give me some time, Lucifer? Please."

"I'm in the middle of solving a crime right now," he said as Oriel looked on with an amused smile. "I'll be at Lux all night. Meet me there."

An awkward silence overtook the conversation as Chloe joined the pair; the stillness was broken by Chloe clearing her throat and looking up a Lucifer.

"Ah, yes. Oriel, this is Detective Chloe Decker. Detective, Oriel," he said for introductions.

"Nice to meet you, Chloe," Oriel said and then turned her attention back to Lucifer. "No, I'm not meeting you at Lux or waiting for you there. You know better than to ask that."

"Oriel, I have a business to run," he said hotly.

"A crime to solve; a business to run," she replied. "I get it, Lucifer; you're busy. Welcome to the world. I am not talking to you at Lux. Can't they manage without you for a short time?"

"I am expected to be there," Lucifer explained. While the pair verbally sparred, Chloe stood a few steps away watching. Although she remained silent, she was silently impressed that Oriel held her own and didn't fall all over Lucifer the way most women seemed to.

"Pretend you're bored and just don't show up. I've been told that it works out okay and after all, it's just for a couple of hours … not years," Oriel said with a challenging smirk on her face. Lucifer said nothing but his eyes burned red at her.

"I'm glad you see it my way," Oriel continued smiling broadly, her own eyes bright. "I've never seen the Hollywood sign, so I'll see you there. Around nine-ish."

"Fine," he conceded petulantly.

* * *

"Your staring eye game doesn't seem to work with her," Chloe said as she and Lucifer walked back to the car.

"Some days nothing works with Oriel," he replied sullenly. "Today just happens to be one of those days."

Chloe stifled a sarcastic comment and instead just nodded her head in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where are you?" Lucifer muttered to himself and looked around as he slowly drove near the Griffith Observatory in his black classic Corvette. He could feel Oriel's presence nearby but couldn't see her anywhere.

"Right here. You're not losing your touch are you?" Oriel answered as she materialized in the seat next to him. "It's nice down here but from up behind the sign, the view is amazing. Have you seen it?"

He remained silent, shook his head no and waited for her to continue. He knew Oriel well enough to know that she was not finished. "I guess you shouldn't have severed those wings," she said with a sideways glance.

"Oriel, this will not end well if you only asked me here to vex me," Lucifer told her seriously as he brought the car to a halt in a parking space at the Observatory.

"Cranky, aren't we?" she asked deciding to tease him a little before broaching the subject she wanted to talk about. "You should try to get more sleep. Now, do you cut back on early morning crime solving or the late nights at Lux? That's a tough one."

"Oriel!" he said angrily, his eyes now glowing red.

"Of course I asked you here for more than to have you flash your eyes at me. I know better than to waste your time. Oh look…I almost got you to smile," Oriel said. "Have you thought about anything I said since we last spoke?"

"Of course," he replied and waited to see where she was going with this conversation.

"For more than five minutes after I left?" she questioned all serious.

"I told you before, you're overreacting," he said matter-of-factly.

"Amenadiel came to see me. Twice," Oriel stated, hoping the mention his angelic brother would get a response other than boredom from Lucifer. "Do you still think I am overreacting?"

"What did my esteemed brother have to say?" he asked sarcastically, his curiosity roused.

"He wants you to return to hell; I assume he has already told you as much," she responded while watching him closely.

"More than once," Lucifer told her. "I told him I'm not going anywhere."

"I have a feeling he's more than willing to put you back in hell himself," she said with concern.

"I am more than willing to cut his heart out," he said looking directly at Oriel with anger filling his voice. He then looked straight ahead and gazed out the windshield as he continued, "Maze also feels that it would be best if I returned to hell."

"I could've told you that five years ago. Did you really think she would like it here for any length of time?" Oriel answered as Lucifer turned towards her his eyes filled with rage. Seeing his reaction caused her to slightly change the subject of their conversation. "Okay, moving on. Amenadiel also seems to think I orchestrated your stay here."

"What would you have to do with me remaining in L.A.?" Lucifer asked with astonishment his anger forgotten.

"I guess he thinks that since I can't get into hell, I somehow coerced you into remaining on the earthly plane," she told him as she ran her hands through her hair. "Why he thinks I would pick this town is beyond me."

"You can see me whenever you like; as always," he replied plainly.

"I didn't think that was any of his business, so I didn't share that fact," Oriel stated. "Then again, maybe he already knows; they do like keeping an eye on you."

"What are your thoughts on me staying here permanently?" he said interrupting her.

"My thoughts?" she asked, caught off guard. "What does it matter? You're going to do whatever you want to do, no matter what I say."

"You're the one who wanted to talk tonight," Lucifer said to her. "I know you too well, Oriel. You wouldn't have shown up at Lux last week if you were ambivalent about the subject, no matter who asked you to stop by."

"I already told you how I feel; I would prefer if you not die," she answered somberly.

"I'm immortal," he said shortly.

"So am I, more or less. However, we both know that there are ways to bring about our deaths," Oriel countered. She paused for a second and bit her lip before continuing. She knew that her words were going to anger Lucifer more than a little. "You need to look at things beyond your own personal wants for more than a second or two."

Lucifer looked at her with exasperation and she could tell his patience was wearing thin. Undeterred, she continued, "How long do you think the inmates will be content to play in the asylum? Just because you're here doesn't mean that hell closed up shop. New souls enter every day."

"And?" he asked with irritation, fingers drumming against the steering wheel.

"Demons will be demons; today, they'll play by the rules, tomorrow, not so much. When they escape – or get bored like you did – where do you think they're going to go?" she asked him pointedly.

"I. DON'T. CARE," he said with a raised voice. "I played the role my father set me for longer than I ever wanted. I'm done with it."

"You'll care when this new sandbox you found isn't around to play in any longer," Oriel retorted angrily. His egotistical view of everything and unwillingness to even consider the possible outcomes from his actions was beginning to fire her own temper.

"My father won't allow that to happen," Lucifer assured her.

"Are you sure of that?" she said emphatically as a slight look of distress crossed her face; it was as if she was remembering an unpleasant dream.

"I need to get back," he said, abruptly ending their talk despite noticing the look of unease that passed over her countenance. He decided to let it pass without mention for the time being. "Stop by Lux after closing time."

"No," Oriel stated defiantly. He wasn't the only one who could be stubborn at inopportune times.

"You dare to say no to me," he growled loudly, eyes glowing.

"I do, I have, and I will continue to do so when I see fit," she replied unmoved by his reaction to her denial.

"Do you realize what – and who – you are turning down?" Lucifer asked as he gestured to include himself and his car while looking into her eyes intently. His tone was suddenly mischievous replacing the previous anger.

"Dark, powerful, and sexy," Oriel said slowly and laughed as she looked at the Corvette, "This is a gorgeous piece of automotive machinery." She knew by his sudden mood change some piece of what she said had gotten through to him – which part remained to be seen. "I never said I didn't want to see you. You just have to come up with a better option, Lucifer Morningstar."

"I will devise an option acceptable to you, demon," he told her confidently.

"Demon? You don't get what you want, right when you want it and now I'm a demon? Funny how that works," she replied with a smile, her eyes bright.

"Since you won't be stopping by, I assume you will be returning home?" he inquired, ignoring her words.

"It's been a long day. I'll probably find a cave somewhere to rest a bit," she said nonchalantly knowing her words were sure to provoke a reaction.

"Really, Oriel, a cave?" Lucifer asked with surprise and slight disdain. "I can get you a penthouse in town or out of town if you wish." As she laughed at his reply her hair glistened like a fire surrounding her, he questioned, "What's so droll?"

"You are, even after all these years. Watching you in your bespoke suiting and classic automobile, all luxury at its finest, _still_ trying to wrap your intellect around why anyone – myself, in particular – would willingly sleep in a mountainside cave amuses me," she explained. "Here's a hint: the mountains, beaches, forest clearings are peaceful."

"So is a penthouse," he assured her with a wicked smile.

"Not tonight, Lucifer," Oriel said and fixed him with her gaze.

"Your defiance never ceases to amaze me," he said and then asked, "Tomorrow?"

"I think that depends on you and what you come up with," Oriel said and then leaned over to kiss him before disappearing.

Lucifer took his time getting back and walked into Lux near midnight. On the way, he actually spent some time thinking about some of the things Oriel had said. The look of unease that briefly passed over her face while they spoke bothered him more than he cared to admit. He was almost certain that she saw something even with her limited power. What it was and why she wouldn't say anything to him about it were questions he intended to get answered.

"Nice of you to show up," Maze said from behind the bar as she handed Lucifer a glass.

"I had things to do. It looks like you managed fine without me for a bit," he replied and took a long sip from the glass and spun a coin in his hand.

"Off playing cop again?" she asked sarcastically and poured him another drink. "Did you get a badge yet?"

"Not tonight, Maze. I'm in no mood," Lucifer replied irritably and stalked off glass in hand.


	4. Chapter 4

"I am very capable of doing my job without you here all the time," Chloe said as Lucifer walked up at the previous day's crime scene. She had arrived a few minutes earlier to make sure nothing was missed during the investigation.

"Yes, but as we both know I have proven myself an invaluable resource to have around," Lucifer answered.

"That's debatable," she replied and continued to look around the scene. Instead of following her around and generally getting in the way, Lucifer stood off a few feet and stared off into the distance.

"Hey, did you hear what I said?" she asked. Upon noticing that he was distracted she slyly asked, "How was your date?"

"It wasn't a date," he protested. "My dates usually end with a bit more satisfaction for all involved."

"She turned you down!" Chloe exclaimed in surprise, a big grin on her face. "Your mojo didn't work on her either. That's gotta hurt."

"I did not get turned down. I was told that meeting me at Lux after hours was unacceptable. That is definitely not turned down," Lucifer explained. "My "mojo" is working just fine."

"I take it she doesn't like Lux? Not into all that sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll?" she asked.

"I wouldn't go that far detective, although I do recall hearing the words stifling cesspool on occasion. Oriel prefers to see the moonlight and play with starlight and shadows when evening arrives as opposed to engaging with random humans," he said shaking his head in disbelief. As he was talking his mind went back again to the look of unease that crossed Oriel's face the night before.

"Random humans; nice. In other words, she's not a player, like you," Chloe said and then pressed on, "How long have you two known each other?"

"1,159 years, but who's counting," Lucifer said with a smile.

"I'm serious," she retorted with raised eyebrows. She had expected to hear five years at most, not over one thousand.

"As am I detective; feel free to ask Oriel yourself if you choose not to believe me," Lucifer told her seriously.

"You called. I'm here, and it better be good," Oriel said as she emerged from the shadows outside of Lux when she saw Lucifer pulling up in his Corvette. Chloe was close behind in her car and quickly got out, curious to see their interaction close up.

"Wait here for a bit," Lucifer told her as he exited his vehicle. His words received a distinct look of irritation and impatience from Oriel causing him to ask, "Would you rather wait inside?"

"Is this my punishment for not coming back to see you last night, Lucifer?" Oriel asked directly.

"Not at all," he answered slyly. "I have other things in mind for you."

"Take too long and I'm leaving," she said as he walked inside. Oriel then turned to Chloe who stood nearby and asked, "You don't happen to know what this is about, do you?"

"No, I didn't even see him call you," Chloe answered and tried to figure out when Lucifer could have called Oriel. He had been standing a little ways off, but was near enough that she would've seen and possibly even heard the call. She then remembered her earlier conversations with Lucifer and decided to try to get some answers. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Oriel replied curious to hear what the detective was going to ask.

"I know this is none of my business, but why do you put up with him?" Chloe asked. "He may be good-looking but there are tons of guys out there who wouldn't screw around and then use the excuse of being the devil to get away with it."

"First of all, it's not an excuse, he _is_ the devil. I'm sure he told you that; he tells everyone," Oriel said as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes. With her hair brushed away, the street lights were able to hit her eyes more, causing them to sparkle unnaturally and almost glow. "As for our relationship, connection, whatever you want to call it, I don't expect anyone to understand it. Sometimes, I still don't fully get it. And you're right; it is none of your business."

"You actually believe he is the devil?" Chloe questioned deliberately ignoring Oriel's verbal barb and odd gleaming eyes.

"Of course; he doesn't lie," Oriel said with an unwavering gaze. "It's the only thing he probably won't do."

"Then why – if he is the devil – do you do whatever it is the two of you do?" Chloe pressed.

"Nothing in life is black and white, Chloe, surely you know that," Oriel replied as she idly played with the shadows against the building. Chloe watched the dark areas change shape but chalked it up to a trick of the light and blurry vision. "That holds true for a person's motivation for doing something, as well as the concept of good and evil."

At that moment Lucifer emerged from Lux preventing Chloe from asking Oriel more, including how long the pair had known each other. "Good, you're still here. Get in," he said to Oriel and gestured to the passenger seat of the Corvette.

"Where are we going?" Oriel asked as they drove down the street.

"Somewhere that I hope is acceptable to your discerning tastes," Lucifer replied with a tinge of sarcasm.

"My tastes generally run to things that don't have a price tag attached; a concept very difficult for you to grasp. Don't take it personally, you know I find the whole city oppressive not just Lux," she told him honestly. "Your police friend is interesting. She doesn't believe you are the devil himself."

"I know. I don't understand it," he said.

"What did you expect? This isn't the middle ages," Oriel told him. "I'm not sure what humans really believe anymore."

"They tell me there's a perfect view of the mountain from the patio. I do realize it's not a cave but it may meet your standards," Lucifer told Oriel as they pulled into a private driveway and got out of the car.

Oriel eyed him warily as he opened the door to the villa and moved aside allowing her to enter first. Lucifer was putting a whole lot of effort into catering to her preferences especially given that she flatly turned him down the previous night. She knew him well enough to realize he was up to something or wanted something at the very least.

"You're worried about meeting my standards? That doesn't happen often – if ever," she replied and looked around. The table in the dining room was immaculately set for two. A bottle of wine was chilling in a bucket of ice and plates held a perfect presentation of roasted and glazed pheasant, Oriel's favorite. "And there's food here, too! What are you up to?"

"Nothing. Now sit," he said as he pulled out a chair for her and then poured two glasses of wine. "It's been a while since we actually had a nice dinner together."

"You're always otherwise occupied," Oriel said with a wink as she sipped from the glass.

They ate and talked about inconsequential things for some time before Lucifer got to his point and said, "What did you see last night?"

"Since when do you care about the view of the landscape?" Oriel replied good-naturedly, not understanding what exactly he was asking.

"That is not what I meant?" he answered seriously. "You asked if I was sure that my father wouldn't let this world be destroyed. You didn't just come up with that. You saw something."

"I'm not a prophet or a seer, you know that," she said quietly not wanting to revisit the conversation or the shadows in her mind.

"I also know that you can follow a situation for a bit and see probable outcomes even if they are unclear. Oriel, you saw something. I know you too well for you to disguise your feelings from me; the unease on your face was obvious. What was it?" he said pressing her for an answer.

"Just shadows, as usual. Nothing distinct," she began.

"Oriel!" Lucifer growled loudly beginning to lose his temper.

"If I knew something definite, I would tell you. You know that. It's darkness and shadows; there's unrest and thoughts of retribution. When? I don't know. Who? I can't tell you that either. I'm sorry, Lucifer, I can't tell you more because I just don't know," she said and got up from the table and walked to look out the large glass patio doors. "If you'd like, I'll lead you down the thread and you can see for yourself."

"That won't be necessary, last time it wasn't pleasant. If it does become clear, you will tell me," he said in a tone that was midway between a question and a command as he came up to stand behind her.

"Haven't I always," Oriel replied. "Unfortunately, by time it becomes clear to me it may be too late."

"Are you satisfied now?" Oriel asked as she propped herself up on her arm.

"Hardly," he replied eyes flashing from where he lay next to her.

She laughed, "Makes me wonder why I wasn't tossed aside centuries ago. Maybe I'm like walking heroin for a very rebellious angel."

"Possibly," he admitted and laughed when he heard the reference he had used on occasion. "Everyone has their vices, except for you; I don't think I'm your addiction."

"Once you pass one thousand years it's very hard to pass someone off as a casual fling," Oriel replied mischievously before becoming serious. "I've learned to compartmentalize to survive. It doesn't help that every time you're around I'm waiting to get immolated by a lightning bolt or turned into a pillar of salt."

"Not going to happen," Lucifer said surely. "My father has no gripe with you."

"And you know this because you sat down and had this great father-son conversation last week?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm pretty sure dad does not want to see me much less speak to me," he told her. "If there was a problem, I'm sure you would have been dealt with by now. It's been over a millennia."

"That's almost reassuring," she said and got out of the bed gathering the sheet around her.

Oriel walked across the room and out the patio doors. The villa they were at was secluded with a small expanse of lawn and trees surrounding it. She stood outside and gazed up at the full moon and starry night sky silently deciding she was quite happy with the choice of meeting spots. Lucifer watched her leave the bed and walk outdoors; he allowed her a minute or two to herself before following her.

"I take it the peri fae finds this acceptable?" Lucifer asked as he stood next to her totally naked.

"Peri fae? Covering a lot of bases with that combination. I think I like it better than demon, though," she replied quietly and then eyed him up and down. "Did you forget something?"

"No. You took the sheet," he answered in a teasing tone. "Unlike you, I can't craft fabric from shadows."

"It does come in handy," Oriel told him.

"Especially when the devil visits you in the middle of the night and you're not wearing a stitch," Lucifer said recalling their very first meeting. He then tugged and grabbed the sheet from her.

"I wasn't expecting company. Maybe you should have knocked," she admonished him. As the sheet fell away, a short gown that glistened with the color of the moonlight was revealed. With a sideways glance at him, Oriel walked back inside the villa and crawled back into bed leaving him standing there with a sheet in his hands.

"I decided to never knock again in that very moment," Lucifer said as he followed her back inside and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. After a very short inner debate, he decided to ask her something that had been on his mind. He knew he could trust Oriel; after all, she had bound herself to him and there were no secrets between them. "I've been told I'm changing," he said.

"From whom?" she asked and sat up.

"Maze and Amenadiel, for starters," he answered. "Aside from impressing upon me, and you, how I am shirking my God-given duties, they tell me I'm getting soft. I would like your opinion on the matter."

"Lucifer, I don't see you every day or even every month for that matter," she said honestly. "I don't keep tabs on your every move when I'm not around or even when I am."

"I know all that Oriel, but I want to know what you think," he replied.

"Of course, you're changing. Living among humans changes you," she said gently. "I don't think you fully understood that, until now. I would say that it gets worse, but your very nature might protect you from that. Only time will tell whether you've changed for the worse."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that last part," Lucifer said. "What do you mean?"

"Right now, I don't know but when I see it, I'll tell you," Oriel said thoughtfully. "It's also my opinion that your changing has nothing whatsoever to do with performing your job in hell. You might want to think about that."

As she was speaking, Oriel traced her fingers along the scars on his back where his wings once were. He quickly pulled away and turned towards her his eyes flaming red. Her bright blue-green ones welled up with tears as she said, "It still breaks my heart that you would choose to mutilate yourself to stay here. Your wings were beautiful. There had to be another way."

"Says the one who blurs her beautiful eyes when around humans," Lucifer answered somberly.

"Yes, but I didn't gouge them out," Oriel responded quietly and pulled him back down next to her on the bed. Her blue-green eyes met his fiery red ones as she said, "I hope you have another bottle of wine around here somewhere because this evening has gotten way too serious. I think I really would have preferred a good spanking."

"Not to worry," he said with a wink. "The night's still young."


	5. Chapter 5

"I can arrange for this to be yours for a week or two if you'd like," Lucifer told Oriel the next morning.

"It is lovely – although nothing will top the villa we stayed at near the Black Sea – but I'm going home," she answered as she looked out the patio doors. "I'm not up for being part of the devil's threesome, quad, or whatever else you may have in mind."

"I don't know why I bother asking; I knew that would be your answer," he said with a smile. "However, I do believe you're biased about the Black Sea; Amsterdam was nice."

"Could you possibly know me that well?" Oriel questioned as she turned to face him. "I think you ask because you're hoping that one day I surprise you with a different answer."

"Are you going to avoid me for the better part of a year again?" Lucifer asked seriously while looking at her intently.

"I wasn't avoiding you. As much as I miss hearing you play, sitting around Lux waiting for you to grant me five minutes of your time isn't my thing, and that answer won't change no matter how much you look at me. My answers never do," she told him directly.

"You have always been honest with me, since we first met," he admitted.

"You'd do well to remember that," Oriel answered now looking intently at him.

"I always do. And, in case you're wondering, you, my fae, would get at least ten minutes of my time," he said with an indulgent smile and a wink. "If I should wish to see you?"

"You know how to find me," Oriel answered. "But if the devil calls demon once too often in jest, one day the demon won't show up. Don't be the boy who cries wolf."

"Duly noted," he said.

"Lucifer, I have never asked anything of you, but please think about what we've talked about," she entreated him before leaving. "These are serious matters."

"You have my word that I will," he said as she disappeared.

 _Some months later …_

Oriel was sitting under a tree on the vast grounds of the Glastonbury Abbey. She was playing with a grey cat that had been prowling about the ruins doing its best to avoid the people milling about. The cat dashed off in fright suddenly disinterested in the leaf at the end of a long twig that she had been teasing it with.

"There was no need to scare him off," she said aloud as she put the stick down.

"I'm sure the sidhe will find you again," Amenadiel assured her with a slight chuckle.

"The cat's neither a demon nor my familiar; it's a stray. We both just like it here," Oriel said pointedly as she glanced upwards at him. "If you came here to see if I get struck down for sitting on monastic grounds, you're going to be disappointed, Amenadiel. I'm here quite often without ill effect; in fact, I frequent churches, too, without a problem." As she was talking, she bent to look around the celestial being. The grey cat had returned and sat a few feet away watching the pair intently.

"Oriel, I wish you no harm," he told her.

"At least not while I still may be of some use to you," she retorted brusquely.

"You are kindred spirits it seems," Amenadiel stated as the cat bravely came to sit near her again.

"I'm partial to wolves; their fierce loyalty is admirable," Oriel explained as she scratched the cat's head gently.

"As is yours," the angel told her. "Especially where my brother is concerned."

"Ahhh, now we finally get to the point," she exclaimed.

"Lucifer hasn't returned to hell," Amenadiel said solemnly.

"Are you surprised by that?" she asked earnestly.

"I had hoped for more from you," the angel said honestly.

"You asked me to speak with him and I did. He promised me he would think about what we spoke of," Oriel answered as she looked up from where she sat.

"And you believe him?" he asked her slightly scoffing.

"Your brother may be a tad licentious but his word is good," she replied with a half-smile on her face.

"Oriel, the balance is shifting more each day, surely you feel it," the angel stated.

"I cannot make him leave no matter what I may feel. He does what he wants, when he wants," she protested. "I'm not sure what more you expect from me. Why don't you put the balance right, if it's such a concern?"

"Me?" Amenadiel asked surprised.

"Yes, you," Oriel shot back. "And Michael, Gabriel and the whole lot. Surely all of you could handle a legion of demons, imps, and generally pissed off souls determined to break onto the earthly plane to wreak havoc and wrangle your devilish brother back to hell while you're at it."

"That's not our job," the angel sternly replied.

"Well, it's certainly not mine," she said angrily. "Lucifer is not my responsibility."

"Really?" Amenadiel asked with more than a touch of sarcasm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Oriel countered finally standing up to face him. The cat, now deserted by his companion, ran off again.

"You bound yourself to him. You do remember that?" he replied slowly.

"That's what has you so convinced I should be involved in this?" she laughed. "Do you even know what the binding is between us is or are you just spouting words and hoping to scare me into doing something?"

"I don't need to know the details, I can guess well enough," Amenadiel replied causing Oriel's eyes to flash brighter than usual.

"I see pride and arrogance are a family trait and not just your brother's shortcomings," Oriel boldly stated despite knowing that she was totally outmatched. If Amenadiel wanted to injure or even kill her it was within his power.

"You dare speak to me like this?" he asked her angrily. Amenadiel had never expected her to act so brazenly towards him despite their mutual dislike of each other.

"Yes, it's one of my shortcomings. I hold my tongue with no one," she answered as calmly as she could. "I am NOT Lucifer's protector; he already has one of those. I'm also not his babysitter, and I don't do his bidding. No oaths or promises entwine the two of us. If you had lowered yourself to actually speak to me, instead of listening to rumors from every angel, demon, and otherworldly being, you would know this."

"But you are bound to him in some way?" the angel asked trying to press her for an answer.

"That is common knowledge after centuries," Oriel replied matter-of-factly.

"In what way?" Amenadiel demanded.

"I don't think that's any of your business. Ask Lucifer if you want to know. Or, are you afraid he'll tell you to go to hell?" she retorted. "I'm sure your father is well aware of the particulars, so you do always have the option of asking him."

"My father would never get involved in Lucifer's exploits," he replied surely.

"Are you sure? Lucifer is the favorite. He does whatever he wants – blatantly ignores rules and willfully leaves his God-given duty with seemingly no repercussions, while you follow all the rules and do what you are told and are now left trying to clean up his mess. That's gotta sting." Oriel said and waited to hear Amenadiel's reply.

"He is no longer the favorite and there will be repercussions, Oriel, believe me," the angel told her as she looked on with wide eyes.

"I'm sure there will be; there always are," she declared, "In fact, I told Lucifer that sooner or later his little party would end, possibly by his father's invention. Will that make him go back to hell? Probably not."

"That doesn't bother you?" Amenadiel inquired.

"What bothers me, Amenadiel, is that you seem determined to start a war," Oriel countered harshly.

"I will do what is necessary to get Lucifer back where he belongs," he replied severely as he disappeared. "Be careful, Oriel or you may get caught in the crossfire and we wouldn't want that."

"Is that a threat?" she questioned aloud. The sound of flapping wings was her only reply.

After a minute or two, Oriel sat back down and pondered what to do next. As she sat leaning against the trunk of the tree the stray cat returned and crawled into her lap. She idly petted the animal while trying to predict what Amenadiel's next move would be to better determine her own. "Lucifer," she muttered to herself causing the cat to look up at her, "Why must you always take such delight in being obstinate?" A half hour later, she was still sitting in the exact same spot and had come to no decision of what she would do next.


	6. Chapter 6

While Oriel was contemplated Amenadiel's visit and motives, Lucifer was out doing his best to assist on another murder case that Chloe was working on. Chloe noticed Lucifer looking around furtively as she walked around the site of the shooting. Instead of poking into possible evidence and generally getting in the way, he was uncharacteristically distant and distracted. "What's your problem?" she asked.

"It's very strange. I feel like I'm being watched," he answered his eyes darting around hoping to find something.

"One of your Lux playmates, perhaps?" she said with a huge grin and turned her head to look around. "By the way … how is Oriel? I haven't seen her lately."

"It is not Oriel; she doesn't lurk _and_ she is not a dalliance," Lucifer explained as he glared at Chloe. "I assume she's fine; I haven't spoken to her since I last saw her."

"It's been months!" Chloe exclaimed. "You really can be a dick."

"If it comforts you, detective, she hasn't spoken to me either," he replied. "I assure you she's fine; I would know otherwise."

"How can you know that if you haven't spoken to her?" she asked earnestly. "Why she puts up with you is beyond me. I'd kick you to the curb – after kicking you somewhere else."

"I would know if something was wrong with Oriel. She is fine," he assured her emphatically. After thinking on it for a moment he added, "It is too bad she's not here, she might be able to figure out what's been watching me."

"So why don't you call her?" she pressed.

"It's not that easy detective; it's not like she lives around the corner, and she doesn't have a cell phone," Lucifer told her.

"No phone?" Chloe asked with disbelief. "There are people like that?"

"Oriel has no need for one," he stated plainly.

"O-o-kay. How do you contact her?" she questioned.

"We have our ways," he said with a thoughtful look on his face. "There is also the small matter that Oriel will not see me at Lux. It will take me a bit of time to find an acceptable place for her to stay or else she'll insist on sleeping in a cave."

"A cave? She can stay with me for a couple of days," Chloe told him as she wondered about his strange sense of humor.

"No," he declared.

"I insist, so do what you need to do and call her," she replied. Chloe was looking forward to having the chance to speak with Oriel again since their first conversation was cut short. "It's no problem; maybe it'll stop you from staring into space and you'll actually help out a bit around here. Besides, it'll be nice to talk to another adult for a while."

"You always have me to talk to, detective," Lucifer told her with a broad smile.

"You did hear me say an adult, right?" she asked with a smug look on her face.

Oriel stood outside a bungalow-type home on the outskirts of town not entirely sure of what she was doing there. Lucifer had contacted her after months of silence which in itself wasn't unusual but there was an urgency in his request that was surprising. Oriel took a deep breath and rang the doorbell not sure of what to expect. The door was opened by the detective that Lucifer had introduced her to; Chloe greeted her cordially and invited Oriel inside.

"Lucifer's not here yet," Chloe said to Oriel as she walked in the door.

"He does enjoy making an entrance," Oriel stated with a wry smile. At that moment, a child burst into the room. Upon seeing Oriel standing there, she came to a sudden stop and stared. Oriel smiled and gave a small wave.

"Oriel, this is my daughter, Trixie," Chloe said in introduction. "Trixie, this is Oriel. She's a friend of Lucifer."

"Are you like the mermaid?" Trixie asked after hearing the stranger's name.

"Not quite," Oriel said pushing her fiery hair out of her eyes. She crouched down so she was at eye level with Trixie, "Ariel's got an A; I've got an O. I don't have fins either, only legs."

"I like your name and your hair, too. It looks like fire," Trixie told her as she laughed. "Are you Lucifer's girlfriend?"

"Thank you and you should ask Lucifer that question," Oriel replied with a smile and nod as Trixie went back to her room. Not only was Oriel acutely aware of Lucifer's general aversion to children but she also knew the question would shake his generally cool composure. She looked forward to seeing his reaction.

While they were waiting for Lucifer to arrive, Chloe got Oriel a bottle of water and invited her to sit down at the table. "The last time you were here our conversation got interrupted," Chloe said hoping the same thing wouldn't occur again.

"When Lucifer gets something in his head, there's no getting in his way," Oriel told her.

"I've noticed," Chloe said and then jumped right in. "He mentioned that the two of you know each other a long time, like 1,159 years."

"That sounds about right. You don't believe that, do you?" Oriel answered while she tried to do the math quickly in her head. She was wholly undisturbed by the statement much to Chloe's surprise.

"No," the detective answered. "That would make you around 1190 years old and there is no way that's possible."

"I'm actually a bit older than that by about a century," Oriel said honestly without pause.

"And Lucifer?" Chloe asked wondering if both Oriel and Lucifer were delusional.

"Way beyond that," Oriel replied as she watched Chloe trying to take it all in and understand what she had just been told. She could tell the detective thought she was making it all up. "It doesn't matter if you believe it or not, we are what we are."

"And that is?" Chloe questioned eagerly awaiting her answer.

Before Oriel could reply there was a short rap on the door. Trixie ran out from her room to answer it. "Lucifer!" she said excitedly and hugged his legs as best she could. Trixie's action caused him to freeze motionless for a second or two causing Oriel to stifle a laugh from where she sat. After the initial shock wore off, he patted Trixie on the head as he walked into the house and tried to send her on her way. The child was having none of it and tugged on his sleeve. "Oriel's here."

"I see that," he answered shortly.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Trixie quickly asked when he looked down at her.

Lucifer scowled at the two women sitting at the table, his gaze lingering on Oriel. Both were completely amused by his unease and Oriel had a Cheshire cat grin on her face. "At this very moment, I have some other names I'd use," he said deliberately as he looked down at the child again and walked over to the table. "Yes, I know – I'm late."

"Did I say a word?" Oriel answered easily her eyes filled with glee. She noticed he had a subtle limp, imperceptible to human eyes, when he walked. "Are you okay?"

"Of course," Lucifer said. "Why?"

"You're limping," she stated and looked at him in a way that demanded an answer.

"Ah, yes, that. She shot me." He declared with a nod towards Chloe.

"She shot you?" Oriel asked with surprise. "Well … that didn't take long! What did you do?"

"He asked me to do it?" Chloe interjected.

"You asked to be shot? What would possess you to do that?" Oriel questioned earnestly as she looked up at Lucifer.

"I'm immortal; I've been shot before and wasn't harmed," he tried to explain to Oriel's otherworldly eyes that were watching him closely. "I thought it would convince the detective that I am who I say I am."

"I am convinced. You're an "immortal devil" that bleeds and limps," Chloe chimed in with and made finger quotations at the words immortal devil.

"And people say God doesn't have a sense of humor," Oriel stated as Lucifer sat down next to her at the table.

"Father's the only one laughing," he replied dryly.

"Outwardly anyway," Oriel said with a shrug her blue-green eyes twinkling despite being inwardly disturbed and angered by this revelation. "Am I here for more than a discussion about your masochistic tendencies?"

"Something has been watching me," Lucifer told her bluntly.

"You own a very popular nightclub and you're not exactly a shrinking violet," Oriel said slowly. "People are watching you all the time and I'm pretty sure that you revel in it."

"This is diff-er-ent," he said slowly enunciating the word and leaned in close so she would pay attention. "It's not human."

"Angelic?" she asked as he sat back in his chair.

"Definitely not," he shot back, shaking his head.

"Hmm, I guess your family only stalks me. Nice," Oriel said off-handedly before asking, "Demon?"

"Most likely," Lucifer agreed.

"What kind?" Oriel inquired.

"Not sure," he said thoughtfully and waited for her reaction.

"What do you mean not sure? You were surrounded by every kind of demon for eons. You know them all, even named a few yourself, and you're not sure," she replied getting annoyed with him.

"I've never seen it; only felt it watching. That's why I called you," he told her.

"Me? How am I supposed to help? I've never been in hell, remember?"" she asked him.

Chloe sat across the table from them and remained silent as she tried to make sense of the conversation happening around her. The pair was discussing the matter of demons casually, as if they were talking about the weather and as if she wasn't sitting there hearing every word.

"Yes, I know that, but I did tell you all about every one of them," Lucifer reminded her.

"That was over eleven hundred years ago. Do you think I remember it all?" Oriel asked incredulous.

"I guess we'll find out how well you pay attention to pillow talk, won't we?" he inquired with a smirk as she glowered at him her eyes lit with inhuman light.

"You expect me to play 'name that demon' with no reference other than a vague feeling that you're being watched?" she questioned and sat there looking up at the ceiling and shaking her head.

"Yes," he answered shortly.

"Why not ask Mazikeen? She's _very_ familiar with the subject," Oriel challenged wanting to hear his reasoning of why he didn't ask a demon, one he saw every day, for the answer he wanted.

"If I ask her then I have to listen to her telling me this is why I need to go back to hell," Lucifer explained with a sigh. "You are a bit more subtle and are willing to see, and hear, all sides."

Oriel sat silent and expressionless for a few minutes. She searched his dark eyes for some answer as to what was going on but found none. Lucifer remained silent waiting for her to speak. "This stays between us, do you understand that?" she told him her voice somber and serious. "It has to for now."

He bowed his head in acquiescence as Chloe looked on without comment.

"Who else knows about your brush with death?" Oriel asked him.

"It's just a scratch," he told her in protest.

"Who?" she demanded raising her voice, and silencing any further response he may have had.

"Aside from the three of us, Maze, my therapist," Lucifer replied.

"Some other cops I work with," Chloe offered quietly.

"So, too many," Oriel said bitingly. "Where were you when you felt you were being watched?"

"While out with Detective Decker. At Lux," he replied. "Speaking of, I need to get there."

Oriel nodded and told him solemnly, "Not a word, Lucifer, I mean it. Go do your thing; I'll stop by at some point."

Oriel walked with him to the door as he was leaving. From where she sat, Chloe tried to scrutinize their words and actions. "Is this what you saw when we talked months ago?" Lucifer asked Oriel quietly.

"I don't think so; this has a different feel," she replied. "If they just wanted to cause trouble, why play hide-and-seek with you?"

"To try my patience," Lucifer said with annoyance.

"There's more to it. I try your patience all the time and I'm still here," Oriel said trying to lighten the mood. "No more immortality tests, okay?"

"You have my word," he said and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "As always."

Oriel shut the door, walked back into the kitchen, and sat down again at the table. "At least he keeps things interesting," Oriel said to Chloe breaking the silence.

"Do you think there really is something watching him?" Chloe asked her not quite believing all she had just heard.

"Yes. I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner," Oriel told her. "I'm more bothered by the fact that he was shot and bled."

"What was supposed to happen?" Chloe questioned very interested in hearing her answer.

"Nothing," Oriel replied matter-of-factly.

"Nothing?" Chloe repeated.

"Yes, nothing. He gets shot; the bullet goes in or through or whatever; he heals immediately. No blood, no pain, no limp," Oriel explained and then muttered, "This is not good."

"I'm not saying I believe you but why not?" Chloe asked.

"It means the devil is somewhat mortal. Obviously, he can be hurt – possibly killed, definitely messed with," Oriel explained exhaling loudly. "And there's not enough paper in this town to list everything out there that would love to mess with him."

"You know that Lucifer thinks the mortal thing is exciting. I can't believe I just said that," Chloe said with narrowed eyes. Oriel seemed sane enough even if what she was saying seemed to make absolutely no sense.

"Of course he does," Oriel agreed looking at Chloe directly. "He'd feel the same way about walking around in a cage with hungry, wild animals. With any luck his intelligence will keep him out of serious trouble right now."

"What happens now?" Chloe asked wondering how far they were going to go in carrying out this possible charade.

"Now I figure out what it is that's watching him," Oriel answered with a slight shake of her head. "I can't wait."

"You're going to Lux?" Chloe questioned thinking she would catch him in a lie. "Lucifer told me you didn't like it there."

"I don't - for many reasons - but it's the best chance I have to find out what's going on. Plus, I told him I would stop by and I won't go back on that," Oriel said honestly.

"He listens to you," Chloe said abruptly to Oriel. The cop in her had noticed the change in Lucifer's behavior, slight though it was, when he was speaking with Oriel.

"Everyone says that," Oriel replied with a slight chuckle. "Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. Right now, he's content to play by my rules. When he gets bored, that will change."

"You know him well," Chloe stated before asking, "You really met 1,159 years ago?"

"We really did," Oriel answered. "If you're interested, I'll tell you the story sometime."

"I can't wait to hear it," Chloe told her eagerly. "My mom's out of town, so you can sleep in her room while you're here."

"While I'm here?" Oriel inquired her eyes wide.

"Lucifer didn't tell you?" Chloe asked. When Oriel shook her head she continued, "He didn't have time to find you somewhere to stay, so I told him you could stay with me. Before you say anything, it's no trouble. Where's your bag?"

"I travel light and thank you," Oriel said graciously. "Hopefully I won't be in your hair long."


	7. Chapter 7

Later that evening, Chloe showed Oriel to her room and left her without posing any further questions. Oriel slipped off her shoes and reclined on the bed. She laid there and tried to sleep in order to put off going to Lux as long as possible. Sleep, however, did not come; bits of conversation with Lucifer, particularly the part about his getting shot, kept replaying in her mind.

It was close to 3 am when Oriel finally appeared in Lucifer's private chambers at Lux and she was surprised by the utter silence that pervaded the area. Knowing Lucifer as she did, Oriel had clothed herself in a long gown of shadows in case one of his pretty faces happened to be wandering around; at the least, she would look as if she belonged there.

Although the large room was mostly dark, her inhuman eyes allowed her to be able to see quite clearly. As Oriel looked around the in the darkness and quietly perused the bookshelves she called upon the binding she had with Lucifer to see where he was. The binding that Amenadiel brought up so often and was so curious about was simple at best. Oriel had not sworn an eternal alliance to Lucifer – that was too extreme of a deal to make with the devil; rather, she had provided him a way to be assured of her existence, and conversely her of his. Lucifer had agreed to the unorthodox agreement, and had even suggested it to a certain extent, given the state he had found her in upon their first meeting.

Through the binding, it was as if an infinitesimal piece of each's essence resided in the other. Oriel and Lucifer could find each other at any time no matter where the other was – all it took was a bit of concentration and unearthly power. It was the means they used to contact each other over the centuries. In all that time, neither had ever abused the binding for spying or stalking the other. Oriel knew that Lucifer was in Hell, a place she could not go to; she also had no desire to see how he occupied himself there. For his part, Lucifer was mostly content with their earthly meetings; despite his intense curiosity and devilish power the realm where Oriel resided was barred to him.

Oriel touched on the bit of his potent presence inside her being and used it and her innate abilities to lead her mind to his physical being. Immediately Oriel knew Lucifer was asleep, surprisingly alone. She moved around the room as silent as possible not wanting to wake him while simultaneously hoping that whatever was watching him would show up.

"It's about time. I was waiting for you," Lucifer said a bit petulantly as he walked into the room wearing only black silk boxers. She hadn't counted on the slight touch of her power rousing him from sleep. Though he had been shot and bled, all of his immortal powers had not disappeared.

Oriel turned and let her eyes linger on him before putting a finger to her lips to silence him from saying any more. Her eyes glowed as she peered curiously into a darkened corner and used all her powers to sense if something was there. Lucifer walked towards her also looking in the same direction. Despite not sensing anything, Oriel crafted a circle of witch fire around where she stood.

"Oriel, the carpet! It's one-of-a-kind," Lucifer protested in a loud whisper concerned about the Persian rug that now had an arc of an otherworldly fire burning bluish-white over a corner.

"Stop worrying about your carpet and get inside the circle, Mister Imightbemortal," she whispered back. "This is for your benefit, not mine."

He stepped in close behind her and put an arm around her waist. "Mmmm; I almost forgot how cool shadows are to the touch."

"There's been an unknown entity watching you and you're thinking about shadows?" Oriel asked in a hushed tone. Even with all her senses on high alert, she could find nothing in the room or anywhere in Lux. Whatever he had felt there earlier was gone.

"To be honest, I wasn't exactly thinking about shadows," he whispered and bent to kiss the back of her neck.

"This is serious," she replied not in the mood for his teasing. "You're not at 100%."

"Would you care to test your theory out?" Lucifer asked her with a raise of his eyebrows. As he spoke, Oriel slowly turned around in his arms. "You might be surprised. Besides, I can tell as well as you that there is nothing here at this very moment."

"I guess I forgot to mention earlier that I'm pissed at you?" she asked him slowly. Even in bare feet, she was quite tall and barely had to tilt her head slightly to look up at him.

"Pissed at me?" he repeated quizzically.

"Yes, pissed. Angry. Miffed. Upset. Riled," Oriel stated angrily and pulled away. As she stepped back from him the circle died down leaving the carpet untouched by flame. "Need I continue?"

"No. I did hear and understand you the first time, Oriel," Lucifer answered as he looked at her truly confused by her words. "However, I don't understand why you're upset."

"You got shot – granted, it was at your own request – and very carefully and craftily kept it from me," she explained. "Covering that up took some effort on your part; that is why I am upset."

"I was just as surprised as you to find out I could get hurt," he replied and stalked off towards the bar. Standing behind the dimly lit counter, he grabbed a glass and a bottle of Glenmorangie Signet and poured as she watched silently.

"Surprised or exhilarated?" she challenged and followed him over to the bar which she illuminated further with witchfire. "I'm quite sure I know the answer but I would like to hear it from you." He drank down the Scotch in one swallow and poured another.

"It does add a bit of excitement to what could be a rather mundane existence," he admitted. She shook her head as his words gave her with the affirmation of what she had been thinking, and what she had told Chloe earlier.

"At least some things, like your brazen impulsiveness, never change," she told him and grabbed the glass before he could take it. She took a sip and kept her hand wrapped around the tumbler as he looked on irritably. "Since you may be somewhat, or all, mortal now, you should acquaint yourself with the word cirrhosis; it doesn't seem pleasant. However, if you insist on keeping this habit of yours, I would suggest getting some Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve whiskey into your collection; might as well make potential mortal health issues worth it."

"Yes, I covered it up. How was I to tell you – who has the deepest desire for me to stay alive – that I almost got myself killed?" he asked her seriously and pulled another glass from under the bar and poured a drink for himself. "I knew it would upset and possibly anger you."

"Guess what, Lucifer – I'm upset and definitely angry, even more than I would've been otherwise, so I think your plan backfired," Oriel shot back angrily and finished the drink.

"I am … sorry," Lucifer said with hesitation.

"Are you saying that because you actually are or because that's what you think you should say?" she questioned. When it came to Lucifer, Oriel always kept who she was dealing with foremost in her mind. His self-centered view of things generally meant that the need to apologize rarely entered his mind.

"Both," he told her with a wicked smile and poured more of the Scotch into her glass. As her anger passed and as Lucifer watched a small smile starting to form on her lips he continued, "Since you're here, why don't you stay?"

"No," Oriel answered unequivocally, "and you know precisely why I won't."

"Oriel you are safe here," Lucifer told her. "Maze is sworn to protect me."

"Yes, you," she replied meeting his dark eyes with her light ones. "Me, she would prefer dead and would not have a problem helping me on my way."

"She would not dare try to harm you in any way," he said with absolute certainty.

"Maybe not before, but now that Mazikeen knows you're not completely yourself, I'm not willing to take that chance," Oriel stated her eyes flashing brightly. "I would hate to end her existence after she has served you so long."

"The well-hidden predator emerges. It's been a while since I've seen that in you," he chuckled and looked at Oriel appreciatively. "Are you sure you won't stay?"

Oriel let her eyes remain on him for some time as she considered it. After some thought, she emptied her glass with one swallow and leaned over the bar to kiss him deeply.

"Goodnight, Lucifer," she said before disappearing.

"Bloody hell," he muttered as the witch light disappeared as Oriel vanished. He drained the Scotch from his glass, set the tumbler down and went back to bed.

Once she returned to the detective's home, Oriel found she still couldn't sleep despite being exhausted. As soon as she heard Chloe awake and moving about, she gave up on the idea and emerged from the bedroom.

"Have you decided when you're going to go to Lux?" Chloe asked Oriel early the next morning.

"I was there last night," Oriel told the detective. "It was quiet; nothing unseemly lurking about."

"You were there?" Chloe asked incredulous. "I didn't hear you leave … or return for that matter."

"Are you a ninja like my doll? She does that when she's not being a ballerina," Trixie asked Oriel as she grabbed her book bag.

"I prefer being a ninja all the time," Oriel laughed with a wink at her. She then turned to Chloe and said, "I went there about three or so; I stayed for a while, neither saw nor felt anything and then came back here."

"Three? In the morning?" Chloe questioned and watched Trixie go out the door and get onto the school bus.

Oriel nodded, "Seemed like as good a time as any, especially when you can't sleep."

"How did you get there? Call an Uber?" Chloe probed thinking that Oriel was not telling her the whole story.

"What's an Uber?" Oriel asked seriously.

"You don't know Uber? Lucifer said you don't have a cell phone, so I guess you wouldn't know that either," Chloe said while Oriel nodded in agreement. Chloe then continued her questioning, "How did you get to Lux and back then?"

"Same way I get everywhere; I took myself," Oriel stated honestly.

"Wait … I get it; if he's the devil, you're the angel?" Chloe exclaimed thinking she had figured out their delusions.

"I'm not an angel; for starters, I don't have wings," Oriel laughed.

"Well, Lucifer doesn't have horns or a tail. He said that's all in the stories, so maybe it's the same for angel wings," Chloe told her eager to see where this conversation would lead.

"No, in this case the stories got it right," Oriel assured her. "Angels really do have wings."

"You've seen them?" Chloe asked with disbelief. The more she spoke with Oriel, the more she was beginning to believe that she was as strange as Lucifer.

"Yes," Oriel answered matter-of-factly, "As you would imagine they're beyond beautiful. Awe inspiring, actually."

"O-o-kay. You're not an angel – no wings. So, you're a demon?" Chloe postulated.

"It's not that clear cut; some demons do have wings; impressive ones, too," Oriel explained thoughtfully. "In any case, I'm not a demon – even though Lucifer does like to call me that when I don't do what he wants. The stories that say my kind are demons stem from human misunderstanding and fear."

"Your kind? What are you?" Chloe asked interested to find out what exactly Oriel thought she was.

"I'm what has been called fae or aos sí. In English, you would probably be more familiar with the term fair folk," Oriel replied.

"Fae? A fairy?" Chloe inquired, now sure that Lucifer and Oriel were not quite right.

"Close enough. I like the way aos sí sounds though. Chloe, forget Disney; Tinkerbell isn't even close to truth. Celestially speaking, there are angels, there are demons, and then us," Oriel answered simultaneously annoyed and amused. She almost understood why Lucifer asked to be shot to prove his identity; almost.

"Angels, demons and fairies?" Chloe repeated in a tone that one would use with a small child.

Oriel nodded and began speaking, "It goes like this: Lucifer revolted; those that followed him were tossed into Hell right along with him as demons and the gates to Heaven were shut. Those who remained with God kept their angel status in Heaven. Those who did not choose a side became fae. Seen as not good enough for heaven and not bad enough for hell they were exiled to earth, soulless, never able to reach either place again."

"And this happened about 1300 years ago?" Chloe asked as she remembered what Oriel had said about her age the previous day.

"No, the revolt and exile took place eons ago. I wasn't there," Oriel answered guessing Chloe's train of thought by her question.

"But you're one of them? That's a little odd, don't you think?" Chloe pressed hoping that Oriel would stumble in an answer.

"Genetics is a tricky thing; toss in a little immortality somewhere along the way and look what happens later," Oriel stated and gestured with her hand motioning from her head to her feet.

"Who told you that you are — aos sí?" Chloe questioned slowly. "Your parents?"

"I was abandoned at birth," Oriel replied simply and with an easy smile as she watched Chloe's expression. "As I told you before, whether or not you believe does not change what I am."

"You and Lucifer are quite a pair," Chloe told Oriel and then gathered her things. Chloe had many things to discuss with Lucifer when she saw him that day.


	8. Chapter 8

"Now who is causing a stir?" Lucifer asked as he walked up behind Oriel. She stood on a sandy beach looking out over the expanse of the ocean. It was an area not far from where Lucifer arrived when he first came to Los Angeles. She had been there for some time enjoying the sound of the waves against the shore while she tried to make sense of everything she knew about the recent events – which wasn't much at all she realized.

"Since we're the only ones here and you take great delight in causing an uproar, I'll assume you mean me," Oriel replied without turning around. "What did I do? No one knew I was at Lux except for you."

"You have Detective Decker thinking that you are delusional," he explained.

"Aside from telling people you're the devil, _you ask to be shot_ and yet I'm the one who is called delusional? How is me telling her what I am any different?" she said coolly and turned to look at him. "Should I have lied? Maybe I should have said that I was in town to audition to be a dancer at Lux and asked if she wanted to see my moves."

"We should try that out some time," he answered thoughtfully while picturing the scene in his head. This caused an exasperated look to appear on Oriel's face. Lucifer then told her, "You wouldn't lie anyway; you enjoy seeing the shock of the truth too much."

"What was the end result of your conversation? Are all the police in L.A. looking for me now and ready to lock me away?" Oriel inquired.

"I assured her that you were what you said you were – to the best of our knowledge, and if necessary that you could prove it," Lucifer told Oriel.

"You said what? I'm not a circus sideshow and I do not need to prove anything," Oriel argued. "It is not my problem that Chloe wants to rationalize away everything, including what she sees with her own eyes."

"If she sees it right in front of her she will believe," he countered.

"I don't care if she believes or not!" she declared firmly. "Unlike you lately, I don't need constant validation from everyone."

"Eavesdropping on my therapy?" he questioned her seriously.

"I've been listening to you for over one thousand years, Lucifer; I think I could work through your issues just as well as your therapist does, maybe better. Of course when you meet with me you don't always get what you want when you smile," Oriel recounted as she watched his begin to eyes glow red.

"You are not exactly a shining example of a non-dysfunctional existence," he retorted.

She shrugged refusing to get caught up in an argument with him, "And since you've been listening to me for over one thousand years, I'm sure you can tell me exactly what my issues are."

"You are stubborn, have unresolved anger issues, plus you tend to be defiant to the point of vexation," he listed much to her chagrin. While he was talking, Oriel suddenly glanced over her shoulder. Despite not seeing anything, she turned and began walking away from him sensing a presence nearby. She only got a step or so away when Lucifer muttered, "Your lack of respect when others are speaking also continues to astonish me."

Angered at his seeming lack of ability to sense that something was watching them, Oriel spun around to face Lucifer again her blue-green eyes shining brightly. Upon seeing her expression, he stopped talking immediately and looked over the shoreline in the direction she had just been facing.

"That is it," he whispered despite the fact that there nothing was visible.

Oriel started to turn back around to face the area where the unseen entity had been. Before she was able to turn around or even raise her own defenses, an invisible force slammed into her back before vanishing. The strength of the blow forced her into Lucifer and they both ended up in the sand; Lucifer on his backside and Oriel half on top of him. She jumped back up to her feet almost immediately ready to defend herself should the presence return. Lucifer was slower to rise and then fastidiously brushed sand off himself as he glanced around. Oriel stared off down the shoreline in the direction the demon had disappeared, her temper flaring.

"Oriel," Lucifer said trying to get her attention; he then repeated louder and more sternly, "Oriel!"

Jarred out of her thoughts, she turned around to face him, eyes blazing. "I don't like being played with."

"I beg to differ," he replied with a glint in his eye.

"Can you act your age for a minute or two?" she asked her face filled with annoyance. "This is not the time to be a wiseass."

"Oriel, it has gone and we are fine," he said slowly hoping to calm her temper and the fire in her eyes. "For the moment enjoy my boyish charm."

"For the moment the score is demon one, devil nothing," she said angrily. "We know nothing about _it_ but _it_ knows that I'm here now. You may be okay with that but I am not."

"Maybe next time it will show itself and we will know what we are dealing with," Lucifer answered calmly.

"It is not going to show itself, Lucifer. It had an opportunity to do that just now and all the times you felt it watching you before now," she fumed. "It was sent to watch you and report back."

"To whom?" he inquired.

"You tell me," Oriel retorted. "You've pissed off quite a few beings, of all kinds, over the years."

"Yes, there is that. You've got your work cut out for you," he said with a wink as she nodded with annoyed agreement. They began walking back up the beach towards his car in silence. After a few steps, Oriel started chuckling quietly.

"While I'm working on this problem of yours what will you be doing?" she asked.

"Whatever you tell me to, of course," Lucifer replied sincerely.

"Go to hell," she said clearly. Oriel knew it was a useless request and would most likely anger Lucifer, but being pushed around by a demon had brought an end to any good-natured banter on her part.

"You know that is not going to happen," he told her plainly. "Why ask?"

"It will put an end to this before it gets worse," Oriel replied somberly.

"There you go overreacting again," he said. "It was just a bit of mischief by a bored, lower demon."

"Uh-huh," she said unconvinced. "Going to a nightclub fits into your schedule, I suppose?"

"Oriel, I do have to run Lux," he told her and then changed the subject. "Are you going to speak with Detective Decker again?"

"You're leaving me a choice in the matter?" Oriel asked surprised. "I didn't think I had one since you also "work" with her and we wouldn't want things awkward for you."

"I know better than to try and force you do to anything," he said. "I have learned a few things over the years."

"Lucifer, I will answer any questions she may ask, but I will not perform parlor tricks for her benefit," she told him and then added, "And I can't stay with Chloe any longer."

"Oriel, why must you take such delight in being difficult?" Lucifer lamented.

"This has nothing to do with being difficult. I'm being practical; this thing knows I'm here now," she replied. "Chances are it will look for me again; you don't want demons hanging around her home, do you?"

"Tell me you are not going to find a cave somewhere to stay," he said knowing that Oriel's reasoning for not staying with the detective was sound.

She looked at him and only smiled in reply as she got into his car.

Back at home, Chloe sat with Trixie looking up things on the internet. Some of those things included the terms aos sí, fair folk, and fae. While they were surfing, Chloe's phone rang. "Lucifer said he would be stopping by shortly with Oriel," Chloe told Trixie as she disconnected the call.

Not long afterwards, there was a knock on the door. Chloe opened it and stepped aside to allow Lucifer and Oriel into the room. Trixie was sitting on the sofa with the tablet still playing on the internet. Upon seeing Oriel and Lucifer she got a huge grin on her face and waved. Oriel, her eyes bright, returned the wave while Lucifer looked on uncomfortably and almost managed a pleasant smile. As trio sat around the table, Chloe sent Trixie off to play in her room. The awkward silence that ensued was broken by Lucifer telling Chloe of the incident that occurred on the beach. Chloe had a few questions that she directed to Lucifer; she was unsure what to say to Oriel who watched warily from where she sat. Eventually Chloe worked up her nerve and turned to Oriel to ask if she was okay.

"My pride is a bit bruised since it got the upper hand on me, otherwise I'm fine," Oriel told her. A few minutes later, Lucifer decided to head off to Lux for the evening. As he rose from his chair he looked over at Oriel and gave her a nod as their eyes met. "Have fun," she told him with an edge of sarcasm in her voice.

Once the women were left alone silence again descended upon the room. This time Oriel broke the stillness. "I have to go," she said to Chloe.

"No, you don't," Chloe told her. "I know Lucifer probably told you what I said and I understand if you're upset but you don't have to leave."

"Chloe, I do have to leave," Oriel said quietly. "Whatever is following Lucifer knows I'm here now. It's highly probable that it will follow me, too. You've probably told Trixie the things that go bump in the night aren't real; I don't think you want her to find out how scary they truly are."

"Where will you go?" Chloe asked.

"The possibilities are endless," Oriel answered nonchalantly and smiled. As she replied, she stood up and began walking towards the door.

"I get that you don't want to tell me where you're going but I hope you at least told Lucifer," Chloe said brusquely.

"It's better that he doesn't know where I will be," Oriel stated. Seeing and sensing that Chloe was about to voice a protest she added without further explanation, "Lucifer has the power to find me any time he wishes."

"Do you need me to call you an Uber?" Chloe asked her.

"Still not necessary," Oriel said with a chuckle as she walked out the door. "Tell Trixie we'll work on hair braids next time."

Chloe closed the door behind Oriel not sure how she felt about the past few days' events. Unhappy about the way things were left between her and Oriel, Chloe quickly re-opened the door to smooth things over. However, when she looked outside Oriel was nowhere to be seen.

With no definite plan in mind or place to go, Oriel found herself back atop the mountain she had gone to after speaking with Lucifer a few months earlier. She sat with her back against the trunk of a large pine tree in the twilight while the recent events played and re-played in her mind. It grew darker and darker as she attempted to understand why a demon would bother to follow Lucifer, yet not cause any trouble. By now Oriel was sure that word had spread throughout Hell that the devil had lost some of his power which would seem to ensure some sort of challenge be brought. Instead, it lurked.

After gathering moonlight to provide some light, Oriel reviewed almost 1200 years of memories. When she finished her reverie hours later, she was assured that her initial feeling was correct; in all the years she had known Lucifer, a demon had never watched him, not even briefly in passing. There was the occasional angel who lingered on the fringes of both Lucifer's and Oriel's awareness when they were together, and archangels Amenadiel and Michael had spoken to Oriel throughout the years; but a demon – never.

Oriel arose early the next morning. Her sleep had been restless and troubled, filled with dreams of being watched. As she watched the birds soar through the sky above her, she knew what she was going to do next. Now that her mind was made up, Oriel foraged something small to eat before departing. It was mid-morning when she arrived outside of Lux and Oriel knew with certainty that Lucifer was not inside. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes, pulled open the door and walked inside.

From behind the bar, Maze picked up her head to see who was entering the club at this hour of the day. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw Oriel. "Lucifer's not here," she called out as Oriel got closer.

"I know," Oriel answered bluntly her eyes glowing at the demon bartender.

"Then what do you want?" Maze asked stone-faced.

"Whatever you're playing at needs to end," Oriel replied sharply. "Now!"

"I'm not playing at anything," Maze told her with a saccharine smile.

"Let me be clearer. Send your pet back to Hell," Oriel stated coldly.

"And if I don't?" Maze inquired with a slight laugh.

"I will be sure that it ceases to exist on any plane," Oriel replied matter-of-factly.

"You don't have that power," Maze answered confidently even though she knew little of Oriel.

"I'm stronger than you think." Oriel said to the bartender. "The choice is yours."

With those words Oriel disappeared out of Lux leaving Maze to make her decision.


	9. Chapter 9

Oriel had returned home immediately after her encounter with Maze without a word to Lucifer. At this point, she had no idea if the bartender had listened to her suggestion or not and she was not about to go back and check any time soon. Since she hadn't heard from Lucifer, Oriel was quite sure that he did not know she had been at Lux again; whether he was still being followed by a demon, or cared, was another matter.

It was a pleasant day with sunlight streaming down and Oriel had been sitting in her favorite spot near Glastonbury Abbey for some time. As she watched the humans wandering the grounds and wondered if she had done the right thing by leaving L.A. so soon, she was hoping to see the stray cat that frequented the grounds. The possibility of the feline happening by brightened her otherwise troubled thoughts.

"If you're here to toss more veiled threats my way, save us both the trouble and just leave," Oriel said as she heard a rustling noise coming from behind her. "I'm not in the mood."

"I wasn't planning on threatening you at all. It's really not my thing," said a familiar but unexpected voice.

Oriel twisted around to see a tall, muscular, imposing-looking man with café au lait skin and golden wings standing there. He was dressed in off-white pants and shirt that looked to be linen; it perfectly set off his dark hair that fell to his shoulders and a perfectly groomed dark beard.

"I must really be in trouble if you're coming to see me," she said cheerfully as she took the hand he offered to help her stand up. "It's not every day that the V.I.A. comes to visit."

"V.I.A.?" he asked with an amused smile on his face, dark eyes twinkling. The smile transformed his solemn expression into one filled with good humor.

"Very Important Angel," she replied and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"My brother will not be happy to hear you referring to me that way," he said frankly the smile growing wider.

"Which one?" she challenged with a sideways glance.

"You can decide that yourself. In any case, you're not in trouble, Oriel; did you ever consider that maybe I just wanted to say hello?" he told her as they slowly strolled the grounds unseen by human eyes.

"Michael, you have never said hello to me, not even the very first time you decided we needed to talk," Oriel replied matter-of-factly. "And since you're not one for idle chit-chat there must be a reason that you are here."

"I've always enjoyed our talks even if I had underlying reasons for starting them," he said earnestly and stopped walking. "I wanted to hear about the recent events from you instead of listening to rumors."

"You could ask Lucifer," she answered boldly. "Assuming that's who the rumors are about."

"Yes and yes. But then I have to listen to the same arguments I've been listening to for an eternity," Michael said with a slight shake of his head and resumed a slow walk. "You know how that goes."

"Fair enough," Oriel agreed having listened to many of Lucifer's rants and complaints through the years. "Although, I will say that he does make some valid points. What has the rumor mill been churning out lately?"

"You need to ask?" he inquired with narrowed eyes.

"I've taken myself out of the loop," she told him seriously. "I have decided that I don't want to know more than I already do."

"Well, it's mostly been the usual talk: Lucifer refusing to return to hell; Lucifer running a nightclub and now helping the police in the City of Angels; everyone's generally happy with the new pope," Michael recounted.

Oriel looked at him with amusement and said bluntly, "You're not here to talk to me about the usual stuff."

"Word has it that Lucifer's changing," he stated and stopped again, hoping to glimpse some sort of reaction to his words on her face.

"You also didn't have to talk to me to confirm that," she replied impassively. "You see Amenadiel all the time."

"I'd rather hear it from you; honesty and forthrightness from others where Lucifer is concerned can be a bit lacking," he told her truthfully.

"Hmmm; I would've never thought that the devil would end up being Heaven's poster boy for honesty," she told him with a smirk. "In any event, the answer to your question is yes and no. Lucifer is still the face of self-centered, indulgent, narcissistic, hedonistic living; only now he bleeds when he asks to get shot."

"So he has changed," the angel said slowly.

"That is what he tells me. I wasn't there to see it and I wasn't about to find a gun and test it out. After all, I don't want to kill him," she answered, a troubled look in her eyes.

"It bothers you?" he observed after watching her closely. While he knew that Oriel was in no way sworn to protect his brother, Michael also knew that she would never betray him or any of the confidences that Lucifer had shared with her through the years.

"More than it does him – but Lucifer never thinks things all the way through. If he can bleed, he can probably die. If he can die, he can be sent back to hell, probably permanently – the very place he wanted to escape," Oriel said as she twisted a few strands of her hair. "Lucifer's own impulsive behavior being responsible for his eventual imprisonment...there's almost poetic perfection about it. Kismet, some would say."

"God _is_ in the details," he pronounced slowly as his dark eyes met her light ones. "For one who can't foresee the future, you don't miss much."

"Is it really necessary?" Oriel asked understanding what was not being said. "Eventually he's going to get bored here. He _always_ gets bored."

"That could take a while, Oriel and it's Hell – we can't take the chance," Michael answered.

"So I've heard," she retorted moodily. This time she was the one who started walking again.

"Amenadiel?" he asked as she nodded in assent. "That's who the threats came from?"

"Not directly. He's being very careful while he thinks I can help him," she said then paused and thought for a few seconds before saying "He's ready to start a war with Lucifer."

"I can't stop him," the archangel told her.

"Can't or won't, Michael?" Oriel pressed wanting an answer. Just one time she wanted Michael to admit what he would never say to her – that he was content to sit by and watch no matter what was happening around him unless directly ordered to get involved.

"Oriel, we don't need to have that discussion right now, do we?" Michael countered avoiding her question.

"Since it will probably be a variation on the same conversation we have had many times, I guess not," she replied somberly and dropped it. Her encounters with Michael usually resembled a chess match; one that generally resulted in a stalemate with neither side providing much to the other in terms of information.

"Amenadiel has been charged with watching over Hell in Lucifer's absence," Michael told her offering her something since he didn't answer her question again. "It's not permanent but he spends a day or two every so often making sure things aren't getting too out of hand."

"Amenadiel forgot to mention that; it does explain why he wants Lucifer to return so badly," Oriel told him with a small smile.

"I thought you would enjoy that," he replied knowing the tenuous relationship between Amenadiel and Oriel.

"After putting up with centuries of animosity from him, yes, I think it's well deserved," she said a little irritably her eyes turning stony.

"Oriel, Hell is not Amenadiel's place," Michael countered.

"Lucifer didn't exactly request it either," she shot back.

"He had _everything_ and he wasn't content," the angel told her. "Lucifer made his stand and was shown he wasn't quite as powerful as he thought."

"All because he wanted options; a bit of free will and choice; a little more than can't and won't?" Oriel pondered aloud.

"You weren't there," he admonished her sternly. "He wanted more power than he was already given, so he was given his own realm where he could have ultimate power and control."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," she answered looking him directly in the eyes.

"You dare question my Father's plan?" Michael growled at her.

"Are all of you so blind to it or is it willful ignorance on the hope that it will eventually work itself out?" Oriel inquired not backing down. "It didn't work and it won't work as it stands now."

"What are you talking about?" he asked her angrily.

"Subjecting Lucifer to watching and being responsible for the end result of human's free will – the very thing he coveted – did not change his mind on the subject," she stated calling on all her inner strength to remain calm. "The lesson in free will and how the choices you make can damn you doesn't matter to him; he already knew that. To him, it's been a cruel punishment."

"Lucifer has been allowed to wander before; as you are well aware, this is not his first visit to earth," Michael said to her with raised eyebrows. "Was what he was given a punishment – possibly; is it overly cruel – I'm not sure."

"Would you like to be abandoned in Hell? Endless tortured screams, eternally stretched on a rack, impalements," she retorted.

"He instituted much of it," he said coolly.

"Do those in Hell deserve to be there? Did their punishments fit their crimes? Was the sentence handed down fair and appropriate?" Oriel asked hoping to get Michael to think. "Seems he did what he was supposed to do."

"You think Lucifer somehow deserves to be here? That he has earned it?" he said peering at her closely. It was half a statement and half a question.

"I didn't say that. Trying to talk to any of you and actually be heard is an exercise in futility," she said and started walking quickly in the opposite direction. She thought of disappearing and taking herself behind the veil of the aos sí, a place where Michael couldn't follow. However, she was smart enough to realize that this was not the time to anger every one of Lucifer's brothers.

"Oriel, wait!" he said and suddenly appeared in front of her. "You don't understand."

"I understand that there is a balance that must be maintained. However, it seems I also know your brother better than you. Of course, I also know what it's like to be abandoned," Oriel replied. When she looked at the angel her eyes were bright with anger. "No matter how well he has excelled at the job he was tasked with for eons, underneath it all he's very angry and very hurt."

"I know that, too," he told her earnestly. "I do listen to him when he speaks to me."

"Then you realize that when you add the hurt and anger to his general demeanor and his love of a good fight, it means he's not going back to Hell without a really good reason," she responded emphatically. "Telling the devil that he should suddenly care about humankind is folly. I know because I already tried it."

"What more can be done?" Michael asked her in the hope that she, who shared so much with Lucifer, could provide an answer.

"I don't know. Why does everyone expect me to be able to do something? I don't know any big secret," Oriel said slightly shaking her head in astonishment. "This situation, one of divine origin I might add, is a long time in coming. One aos sí is not going to fix it, even if she does consort with the devil from time to time."

"You underestimate your influence," he told her seriously.

"Michael, other things have come into play making this much more complicated," she said plainly.

"What other things?" he asked solemnly.

"Why don't you get rid of the wings for a while and we'll go down to the pub?" Oriel said knowing she was more likely to stay calm if surrounded by people.


	10. Chapter 10

As Oriel was discussing the recent events with Michael, Lucifer was dealing with Chloe and her almost endless questions regarding the fae.

"Have you heard from Oriel?" Chloe asked in the hopes that Lucifer knew where Oriel was staying. She had a nagging unsettled feeling ever since Oriel had walked out the door of her home and Chloe wanted to find out that Oriel was alright and possibly that she harbored no hard feelings.

"No," he answered simply and paused for a second or two before continuing, "I am getting a very strong sense of déjà vu. Haven't we had this conversation previously?"

"Not exactly," she replied and went on to explain. "I don't like the way things were left between Oriel and I when she went wherever she went. Oriel is your… umm, good friend and I don't want her upset with me if she is going to be around on a regular basis."

"Detective, if Oriel is upset with anyone, it is me," Lucifer stated as he looked curiously at the detective trying to understand the detective's feelings. "I'm also sorry to inform you that I have no standing appointment with Oriel, so I'm not sure how much you will see of her."

"No standing appointment? Who says things like that? She isn't your doctor. It isn't difficult to understand why she would be upset with you – all the time," she shot back.

"When she does return, the two of you can kiss and make up. I get to watch," he told her with a wicked grin causing Chloe to shake her head and roll her eyes.

"You're really not concerned she left without a word to you?" she asked him deliberately ignoring his previous statement.

"Oriel is perfectly capable of taking care of herself; she has been doing that for a very long time," Lucifer assured the detective matter-of-factly. "Moreover, she is trying to figure out what it is that has been following me."

"And that doesn't bother you either?" Chloe inquired with a pointed stare. His seeming callousness regarding someone he purportedly had been involved with for over one thousand years disturbed her.

"What doesn't bother me, detective?" he asked in return his voice and face filled with exasperation.

"That Oriel is trying to determine what is following you while you hang around and attempt to help me during the day and then play piano and drink all night," she practically shouted at him.

"My services to the police department are invaluable – I do much more than attempt to help," he replied pointedly with a solemn look on his face. "I also have a business to run."

"You're using her," she told him directly with an angry glare.

"If Oriel did not want to do this, she would not; believe me detective, she has no problem saying no to me. In fact, I am quite sure that she takes great delight in it," he explained to her. A smile crossed his mouth as he remembered some of Oriel's more vehement protests. The calm even tone of his voice as he answered disguised the fact that he was beginning to lose patience with her questions. "However, we both realize she is better suited to this task at the moment."

"She is better suited than the devil?" Chloe questioned sarcastically.

"Seeing as how I presently have a bit of mortality to deal with, she is the better choice," Lucifer said without flinching. "Do you suddenly believe I am who I say I am? Oriel was more persuasive than I thought."

"No, I still think you either have a great imagination or are slightly delusional, I haven't decided which. I'm just trying to figure her out. Oriel seems so sensible on first meeting," she told him before returning to her questions, "She's stronger than you?"

"Very probable at this moment," he answered suddenly amused. He looked at her inquisitively to see how she would respond.

"So Oriel could easily hurt you if she wanted to right now?" Chloe inquired intrigued by this bit of information he revealed.

"She would not – ever," Lucifer assured her directly as a smile formed on his lips. "Of that I have no doubt."

"Because she is aos sí?" she asked secretly impressed with herself that she remembered how to pronounce the term.

"No, Oriel being _fae_ has nothing to do with it," he stressed deliberately using the anglicized term. "She would not raise her powers against me as I would not use mine against her."

"Why not?" Chloe questioned. "Is she sworn to protect you?"

"No, that's what Maze is for," he replied smugly. "Oriel and I…have an understanding, shall we say."

"What are her powers?" she pressed wanting to know more.

"That, detective, you will need to ask Oriel herself," Lucifer replied with a smirk effectively ending their conversation.

Oriel and Michael found a table at one of the nearby pubs and sat with filled pint glasses in front of them. "Now, what is that requires a pint or two?" Michael asked as he took a sip from his glass.

"When is the last time you had some good ale?" Oriel asked earnestly. Her hair glinted unnaturally in the light of the pub garnering more than a few glances from the other patrons. "While you're visiting you might as well make the most of it."

"You've got the wrong angel," he told her with a smile.

"No, I definitely know the difference between scotch and ale." Oriel said slowly as she scanned the room. "This isn't exactly your brother's kind of place."

"What did you want to discuss further, Oriel?" Michael probed wanting to know why she asked him to get a drink.

"How did Amenadiel come to be responsible for Hell and its residents?" she inquired while looking the angel straight in the eye.

"He was given the task to watch and make sure there are no problems; as an experienced warrior, he is the most suitable choice given the location," he told her plainly. "Why? Surely you didn't think he asked for the job?"

"I know Amenadiel would never volunteer for that particular position," she replied calmly. "But given his words and actions lately, I do wonder whose will he is serving and hope he has not been left with total control over things."

"You're questioning his loyalty?" the archangel asked with astonishment.

"He does not hide the fact that he despises his brother and having to watch over Hell, even for a day or two in Lucifer's absence, must be like rubbing salt in a wound," Oriel stated without hesitation. "I think Amenadiel has found a way to serve his own need of punishing his brother under the guise of getting him back to Hell."

"They are not Amenadiel's needs, Oriel. Hell needs a guardian, you know that," Michael told her clearly. "If a demon or tortured soul should get out, the havoc it could wreak on earth could be immeasurable."

"I don't want to get into a theological argument with you over this, but Amenadiel is walking a fine line between doing your Father's will and serving his own," she responded intensely careful to keep her voice low.

"Oriel, you cannot let your own feelings for Amenadiel color the situation. He is doing the job he was given," Michael assured her.

"We all know that Amenadiel and I will probably never be best friends; however, his hatred for Lucifer is overshadowing his job at the present. Someone needs to watch him, Michael; trust me on this," Oriel said passionately.

"You think Amenadiel can't be relied on to keep things in line?" he asked her seriously. "Lucifer has never been what anyone would call trustworthy and he managed."

"Lucifer always did what he needed to do to keep order; you know that even better than I do," she replied with a glare. "Trustworthiness has nothing to do with it."

"What is your point then?" the angel asked with raised eyebrows.

"One did get out," she stressed and watched for his reaction.

"One got out?" Michael slowly asked in return taking time to mull over what she had just said.

"Got out or was let out," Oriel told him with a fixed stare.

"You think Amenadiel is responsible for it?" he questioned her ready to defend his brother.

"I know better than to make that accusation without proof," she answered with a slight smile and watched him relax. "What I do know is that Mazikeen has now set this something to watch Lucifer."

"Amenadiel is an angel and would not allow a demon to just wander away," he assured her. While he didn't show it outwardly, he was distressed by this information that Oriel had shared with him.

"This thing didn't come with them five years ago I can assure you of that," she replied.

"What is this something?" Michael asked wanting more information.

"Demon of unknown origin," Oriel said plainly. "I haven't seen it; only felt it."

"Felt it?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"It knocked me over and put Lucifer on his ass, which I would find much more amusing if I wasn't so annoyed with myself for not sensing it first," she told him with a scowl.

"My brother ended up on his bum?" Michael asked in return, his voice filled with surprise.

"Yes…in the sand…in his bespoke Italian wool suit," Oriel answered slowly to allow her words time to sink in.

"That is funny," he replied laughing. "Are you sure Mazikeen is behind it?"

"She didn't exactly deny it," she said without hesitation.

"You confronted her about it? That may not have been wise," the angel told her turning solemn again. He liked Oriel and did not want to see her get herself killed in a spat with a demon.

"Spare me the turn the other cheek spiel," Oriel told him clearly her eyes stony. "If I had kept that up I would've been dead a very long time ago. The concept works a lot better behind silver gates than it does down here."

"Does Lucifer know?" he asked.

"That I spoke to her about it? No, and that is the way it will stay for now; Mazikeen isn't going to tell him and I'm pretty sure you're not about to either," she replied. "I gave her the opportunity to send it back where it belongs before I take matters into my own hands."

"You will have your own war on your hands," Michael said seriously.

"I will handle the demon should it come to that," Oriel said heatedly her eyes flashing.

"What makes you think Amenadiel has a hand in this?" he asked, pressing her for an answer.

"His anger towards Lucifer has always been unchecked; it has only gotten worse the past five years since Lucifer has stayed," she replied. "It's not a far stretch to think Amenadiel let a demon get out."

"Why tell me all this?" he inquired without emotion.

"Because Lucifer has always trusted you," Oriel answered passionately. "I know better than to expect you to take any action, but I would ask that you at least keep close watch and if something needs to be done, do it. I don't think any of us wants to see Lucifer die just to get him back to Hell."


	11. Chapter 11

After speaking with Lucifer, Chloe decided to spend some additional time trying to sate her curiosity and find out more about Oriel. Without Trixie's assistance, she researched and read every story, myth, and legend she could find on the terms fae, aos sí, and fair folk. Chloe also made a half-hearted attempt at trying to track down Oriel's personal history, but without a full name the search wasn't going far and the detective was certain that Lucifer would provide no further assistance on that particular subject either.

A few days after giving up on her search, Chloe was startled by a knock at the door of her house. It was the weekend and she wasn't expecting anyone.

"Come in," Chloe said to the fire-haired fae after opening the door. She did her best to not show her shock at seeing Oriel standing there. "Lucifer didn't say you were in town."

"I didn't tell him I was coming. Bothering Lucifer over something he sees as a trivial matter is never a good idea; he can be a bit short-tempered," Oriel told her. As much as she wanted to question Chloe and be on her way, Oriel, unlike Lucifer, was willing to be polite and engage in small talk when necessary. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all, I was just cleaning up a bit after lunch," Chloe answered cheerfully and put down a dish towel. "I don't think Lucifer would get angry with you. He treats you with a bit more courtesy than everyone else."

"You're giving both of us too much credit. Trust me – we've had some thunderous arguments over the years. Right now, I've become no fun – a thorn in the side of his devil-may-care attitude and he wouldn't hesitate to lash out at me," Oriel assured her with a nod.

"You're selling yourself short," Chloe said after a short pause and then changed the subject. "Anyway, I'm glad you stopped by. I wanted to apologize for the way I acted a few weeks ago."

"For thinking I'm delusional – which I'm not by the way," Oriel said sharply with a small smile as she eagerly awaited Chloe's reaction and response. "Apology accepted." Lucifer had been correct; she did enjoy seeing the effect of blunt honesty on others.

"Maybe I was wrong. You seem sincere in your answers and Lucifer says you are what you say; then again he won't say more than that," Chloe said slowly noticing the tone in Oriel's voice. "He said I should ask you directly about yourself and your powers."

"Chloe, no matter what I say or do, you will find a way to explain it away. Whether you chalk it up to a trick of the light, a sleight of hand, or an elaborate lie, you will choose to believe the mundane logical answer you have come up with – even if it isn't the truth," Oriel told the detective not at all surprised by Lucifer's response to Chloe. The fae knew this was his way of baiting her without being present himself. "Sometimes I forget how things have changed."

"Things have changed?" the detective inquired with a puzzled look on her face.

"There was a time my hair color alone could get me branded as a witch, without my doing anything," Oriel replied as she looked directly at Chloe. "Once they saw my eyes and really looked at me…let's just say that there were a whole lot of people who weren't sure if they wanted to kill me or capture me."

"It appears you've managed to avoid both," Chloe said deciding to humor Oriel for the moment and not challenge her words.

"I succeeded in not allowing myself to be killed and I haven't been imprisoned in quite a while," Oriel stated quietly. The words were uttered with such solemnity that Chloe stopped to look intently at the red-haired woman. The cop in her knew that there was truth behind what Oriel had just told her.

"If you can take yourself anywhere, how did they catch you?" Chloe asked Oriel in a voice usually used for interrogation, thinking she had finally tripped up the other woman with her own words.

"Twelve years old was a child back then too, Chloe. I wasn't as strong or as smart as I am now," Oriel somberly told her. "Over the years, I learned to better defend and protect myself and I was taught a few things regarding superstitions versus reality along the way."

As she was speaking, Trixie ran out of her room, "Oriel! You're back, now you can braid my hair – you promised," the child said happily.

Oriel glanced over at Chloe who was watching warily. The fae had noticed the change in the detective's expression when Trixie mentioned braids. "They do come out," Oriel said doing her best to sound nonchalant.

"What does?" Chloe asked thinking she had concealed her feelings well. "Please have a seat."

"The braids," Oriel stated with a hard glance at the cop as she took a seat in the kitchen.

"I wasn't worried about that," Chloe protested in hopes of changing the other's mind. "Trixie, Oriel can braid your hair later when we're finished talking."

"The look on your face said otherwise. I doubt braids and aos sí are not something regularly discussed at a police station, so I will assume you saw something somewhere about that whole elf-lock thing. Trust me, I've got much better things to do than knot hair," Oriel said calmly after the little girl went back into her room with a satisfied smile.

"I may have Googled a little," Chloe replied not meeting the others' eyes. "That's an internet search; you do know about the internet?"

"I'm well aware of Google," Oriel answered and stifled further harsh words. "With Lucifer holding his tongue, I would try to find all the information on fair folk I could too, if I was in your position. I assume you did the same thing with Lucifer when you first met."

"I did; I didn't find much on him and even less for you," Chloe admitted sheepishly. Though she would never admit it aloud, Oriel's cool frankness threw the detective off her game. "Should I apologize again?"

"For being curious? No. "However, I do wish you would listen to what I am telling you and stop writing me off as crazy," Oriel stated emphatically and then added, "There is no reason for me to lie to you."

"I will try," Chloe told her and looked Oriel directly in the eyes. The detective had to admit that Oriel's eyes seemed to catch the light more than any other eyes she had ever seen, and the pupils seemed a bit strange too. "Do you mind if I ask you more questions? I have been wanting to since you were waiting for Lucifer outside of Lux, but he always interrupts."

"He takes great delight in being the devil," Oriel said with an amused chuckle. "You can ask but you may not like the answers."

"I think I can handle it," the detective told her plainly.

"I don't," the fae answered and pushed her bangs away from her eyes. "I tend to speak plainly and not sugar coat things."

"So I've noticed," Chloe assured her. The detective thought for a moment on how to proceed. She was curious about Oriel and her past, but Chloe was also very curious about Lucifer, too. In the end Chloe's curiosity about Lucifer won out for the time being.

"Why doesn't Lucifer affect you like other people, especially women?" the cop asked. This question had been on her mind since first seeing the pair together.

"Well, I'm not human," Oriel said plainly with raised eyebrows. "I can feel the pull of his powers a bit but his whole deepest desire thing amuses me more than it draws me in. From the time we first met, I have never hidden anything from him so it's an exercise in futility on his part. He still insists on trying though."

"Lucifer said he wasn't human and immortal too, but then he bled and felt pain like everyone else when he was shot. Will you?" Chloe said a bit sarcastically.

"Despite recent events, he isn't human and is still mostly immortal as far as I can tell," Oriel explained slowly hoping to make a point. "Will I bleed, probably, but I will heal faster than humanly possible. It shouldn't kill me, at least I don't think I will; I've never been shot and I'm not about to ask you or anyone else to shoot me just to see what will happen."

"At least you're sensible," Chloe said off-handedly.

"It's in his nature to be reckless and headstrong," the fae told her with a smile. "Lucifer's never had to worry about bleeding or feeling pain, so him asking to be shot isn't as much of a leap as you think it is."

"So, you heal faster and you seem to be able to come and go wherever you want, whenever you want without normal transportation," Chloe said changing course in her questions.

"I _can_ come and go whenever I want – without a plane, train, or automobile," Oriel stated boldly. She then added sarcastically, "It comes in handy when you don't have a credit card."

Chloe looked at her and smiled, "Yes, I noticed. Anything else you care to share?"

"I don't get sick; I don't get old," Oriel added with a smile sure that those facts would have Chloe's mind spinning.

"You were always this age you are now?" Chloe asked with a quizzical look on her face. "I thought you said you were abandoned?"

"I didn't spring fully formed from the head of Zeus or anyone else," said the red-haired woman. "I was a baby – a child; somewhere, the aging just stopped. It's a bit different for all of us."

"And Lucifer?" the detective inquired.

"Lucifer isn't aos sí," Oriel stated sharply. "He's pretty much looked that way from the moment of his creation."

"Pretty much?" Chloe pressed.

"He's actually more beautiful; more handsome; however you want to put it," Oriel explained with a nod of emphasis. "He's dulled himself down a bit since he decided to stay."

"That is hard to believe," Chloe said to Oriel with a shake of her head. "And, it must be nice to have all these perks."

"Chloe, the beauty, the power, the immortality – it all has a price," Oriel assured her seriously and decided that she was finished with the detective's questions for the time being. "Can I braid Trixie's hair now? She's been waiting a while."

Chloe called Trixie out of her room. The child led Oriel over to the sofa and sat down. Oriel sat down next to her with a smile and took out the girl's pigtails.

"Do you need a comb?" Chloe said from where she stood in the kitchen watching.

"No," Oriel answered. "I'm good."

As Oriel deftly parted the child's hair and started braiding it, Chloe walked over and watched. She was amazed as she watched the other woman's skilled fingers weaving strands of hair into an intricate design. A short time later both sides were complete and with the help of some small mirrors, Chloe was able to show Trixie her new hairdo. The girl also convinced her mother to take a few photos with her phone.

"Wow," Trixie exclaimed in awe. "I love it. Send a picture to Dad and Lucifer."

"Okay," Chloe told her daughter as she sent a photo over to Dan. "I sent one to your Dad, but Lucifer doesn't have a phone."

"Why doesn't he have a phone?" Trixie wondered aloud. "He's a grown up."

"Probably because carrying it would ruin the line of his suits," Oriel said with a laugh. Upon hearing the fae's statement Chloe joined in the laughter.

"You're good with children. After seeing Lucifer around her, it's a bit of a shock," Chloe said to Oriel. "Did the two of you ever …?"

"Have a child?" Oriel said finishing the detective's question. Chloe nodded and waited for an answer. "Aside from the fact that Lucifer and children don't mix well, as you have noticed, I'm pretty sure that's not allowed. It also wouldn't be good for humankind in general," Oriel assured her.

"Not allowed and not good for humankind?" Chloe repeated not understanding.

Oriel nodded in response and went on to change the subject, finally posing her own question at last. "Has Lucifer mentioned anything to you again about being watched?"

"He hasn't said anything, but I haven't asked him outright either?" Chloe answered content to the leave the previous subject alone for the time being.

Oriel decided not to leave the area immediately after speaking with Chloe. She went to the beach and spent time just walking along the shore and gazing out across the ocean. "The sea air always does such things to your hair," Oriel said aloud.

"The truth finally emerges; I learn why you like to meet by the water," Lucifer replied as he walked up behind her. "And here I thought it was because you liked nature."

"I don't remember telling you to meet me here…or telling you anything at all, for that matter," she replied with a sideways glance as he stood next to her.

"You didn't. I managed to find you all by myself…despite a touch of mortality," he said with grandeur. "What? No look of shock and astonishment?"

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the porn star? You're more acerbic than usual," she asked with mock seriousness.

Lucifer smiled at her answer. "I did expect some response from you, especially since you were a tad bit concerned. And there is no wrong side of a porn star."

"Lucifer, I'm happy to hear you did it all by yourself. You're like the little devil that could," Oriel replied her eyes sparkling. She had always enjoyed their banter.

"I'm learning so much today," he said in a teasing tone. "You like what the ocean air does to my hair and you prefer me at full strength." Lucifer then turned around and started walking the way he came.

"Of course; it's always good when you can keep up with me," Oriel laughed as she walked along side of him. As he turned his head to look at her, his eyes blazed with red fire. When they reached his car he motioned for her to get in.

"Let me drive," she entreated as she stood outside the black Corvette.

"No," Lucifer answered shortly and decisively as he sat down in the driver's seat.

"You don't mind when I have my hands on your other machinery," she said plainly with a glare and angry look.

"When is the last time you drove a car, Oriel?" he inquired calmly.

"It's been a while," she said with a shrug.

Lucifer said nothing in return but shook his head negatively.

"Pity; the things I could make this engine do," Oriel answered with pointed glance and finally sat down next to him.


	12. Chapter 12

After a short drive, they pulled up in front of the same villa he had brought her to previously. "Did you buy it?" Oriel asked as she stepped inside the doorway.

"No, I already own a perfectly acceptable penthouse. You can see the stars for miles from my balcony – in case you hadn't noticed," Lucifer replied as he looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

"I did. There's also a very rare copy of Milton's Paradise Lost that wants to be read too," she answered easily and then asked, "Why here?"

"You won't stop by Lux, so it's either this or sitting at the parking lot at the Observatory again. This is more comfortable," he replied.

"I see," Oriel answered with a dubious glance in his direction. She then posed a question to him, "Was setting your detective friend on me necessary?"

"I thought you would enjoy it," Lucifer told her. "Who am I to tell her about you?"

"Since when do you not like hearing yourself speak? But I did greatly enjoy it for the most part. Oh, by the way, some of the questions included you and I did answer them…somewhat," she said with a smirk.

"And?" he asked in return with a growl in his voice.

"Let's just say the ball will be back in your court as soon as she musters up enough courage to broach the subject with you," the fae replied with a self-satisfied smile.

"What subject, Oriel! Tell me!" Lucifer demanded loudly.

"And ruin the surprise? Hell no!" she told him with an even wider grin on her face as she walked out the patio doors.

"Will you at least tell me why you are here and why you didn't inform me of your presence?" he asked as he followed her outside.

"Since when do I have to inform you of my comings and goings?" Oriel challenged with bright eyes.

"You don't," Lucifer replied calmly. "However, there is such a thing as common courtesy."

She laughed before telling him, "Because you are always the embodiment of manners and courtesy."

"We aren't talking about me," Lucifer answered civilly despite his growing annoyance.

"Contrary to what you may think, I don't always take great pleasure in vexing you," Oriel stated as she looked directly into his eyes.

"You are beginning to vex me mightily right now Oriel, and you will not enjoy the result," he said sharply.

"Lucifer…relax, enjoy the view," she whispered into his ear.

"Why, Oriel? This is not your favorite place in the world; I know that better than anyone," Lucifer pressed her for a direct answer.

"Is it still following you? Given the circumstance, you have been unusually quiet," she told him.

"Since when do I have to account every moment of my day to you?" he asked sarcastically, mimicking her earlier comment with a glare in his eyes.

"Since we both ended up with sand in our face so to speak; I believe it has been called common courtesy by others," she replied with a challenging smirk and matched his glare.

They stood silent eyes locked for a long moment until Lucifer slowly shook his head; eventually the glares softened and both quietly laughed. "So, are you still being followed?" Oriel repeated.

This time Lucifer was the one to lean in and whisper, "Is it worth my while to tell you or are you going to insist on being difficult?"

"You enjoy every minute of me being difficult, you always have," Oriel told him matter-of-factly as she quickly undid two buttons on his shirt. As he smiled and looked on eagerly, she just as quickly appeared to lose interest and turned and walked back inside the villa.

"Oriel!" he muttered and swiftly followed her indoors.

"Yes or no?" she asked directly and turned to face him, chuckling at his chagrin.

"Like you, it makes its presence known from time to time; it has not tried to touch me again," Lucifer finally admitted and then added drily, "Very unlike you."

"It hit me not you. You were an unfortunate casualty, not the target," she asserted her eyes glittering with amusement at his comment. "It has only been set to watch you, not touch you for the time being."

"For the time being?" he repeated and watched her carefully to see if she knew more than she was saying.

"Lucifer, you know better than I that it will soon want more than just to watch. Lurking on the sidelines really isn't a demon's strong suit," Oriel said bluntly.

"It hasn't bothered you?" Lucifer inquired curious to know if Oriel was also being followed.

"I've been home," she told him. "In case you forgot, even you can't follow me there."

"Oriel, why do I find it hard to believe that you have remained in the realm of the fair folk until today?" he asked.

"Because not only are you fiercely intelligent you also know me that well," she answered with a saccharine smile. "It hasn't found me or even looked for me; I think I'm only an issue when I'm near you."

"Hmmm," he mused with interest at what she had just said and filed away that particular piece of information in his mind. "What are your plans?"

"I don't have any," Oriel answered. She had only intended on seeing Chloe to inquire about Lucifer and then return home; meeting the devil was not on her agenda.

"You only came here to learn if the demon was still following me?" Lucifer asked slowly and deliberately. While it was true that Oriel wouldn't bother him with small matters, he also knew there was probably more to her visit.

"Was I supposed to pick up a phone and call your detective friend to find out?" she asked in return.

"That was an option," he told her. "You could have also called me."

"Yes, but if I don't show up here I miss the fun of answering Chloe's questions," Oriel said cheerfully. "Besides, I owed the child braids."

"You wanted to be sure they were safe," Lucifer announced as the idea finally dawned on him. "I am not powerless, Oriel; I will not allow a lesser demon to get out of hand and the detective is also very capable of handling things."

"What if you don't have a choice in the matter, Lucifer?" she countered seriously. "Chloe may be very capable but because she refuses to believe, she will not see any threat coming until it is too late. The child needs to be kept safe."

"The child is not aos sí," he told her bluntly.

"I know that," Oriel answered loudly and gave the devil an angry look.

"You just chose this particular time to develop your maternal instinct?" Lucifer inquired determined to get an answer that satisfied him no matter how irate Oriel became.

"I am not getting maternal," she answered defensively. "You know what humans did to me Lucifer, what do you think demons will put her through? I will not allow it."

"A demon, no matter what kind, would never trouble itself with a child. I have rules," he stated.

"You retired, remember? You're not in control anymore," Oriel said harshly. "I'm thinking Hell abandoned YOUR rules soon after they realized you abandoned it."

"So, you are saying this is my fault?" Lucifer said stopping short of a direct accusation.

"I did not say that," she said with a sharp inhale, her teal eyes now glowing.

"Fine; you are implying that it is my fault," he said in correction.

"I did not say or imply anything of the sort. I am stating a fact; you left five years ago. That set in motion a whole chain of events and God only knows what they are," she retorted.

"Back to my fault again," Lucifer said simply. "Did you have to bring my Father into this?"

"Well, the devil sure doesn't know what's going on down there," Oriel said unable to hold her tongue. She waited for his outburst, willing to admit that any outrage was partially justified. Instead he surprised her and turned away angrily without uttering a word.

"Lucifer — Lucifer, look at me," Oriel pled. He slowly turned back around and faced her, his eyes blazing red. She faced him without flinching from the anger that seemed to emanate from his being. Oriel wanted to make him understand her reasoning and she boldly placed a hand against the side of his face. She felt the rough stubble of his beard against her palm. At her touch, his eyes returned to their dark brown color and his face relaxed. "I'm not accusing you of causing anything. If you now choose to play cop to alleviate the boredom of running a nightclub, that's fine."

"I…," he began to say.

"I'm not finished," she stated and cut him off. "You are making the choice to hang around with the police. Chloe has made the choice to befriend you. But that child has not been given a choice in this matter, and as much as the girl likes you, Trixie is too young to realize all the baggage you bring with you."

"I do not have baggage," Lucifer protested.

"You're the devil!" she said emphatically her eyes wide. "You have one demon tending your bar, another lesser one currently stalking you, angelic brothers ready to start a war with you at any moment, plus you have been hooking up with an aos sí for the last millennium; you're right, no baggage at all."

"Trivial matters," Lucifer said matter-of-factly.

"Lucifer, I know what it's like to be a child and have your world ripped apart because of other people's battles. I would prefer she not go through that," Oriel replied with a quiet solemnity.

His face became placid at her words and he nodded once in acquiescence. "I'm going to Lux; if you are hungry, there is something I think you may enjoy waiting in the refrigerator. I trust you will be here when I return," he said calmly any previous anger seemingly dissipated.

Oriel nodded once in return declaring a truce. She was slightly surprised he backed off so quickly and attributed it to his needing to be at Lux not her words.

Hours later, Lucifer returned to the villa from Lux. He walked in through the patio doors and found Oriel curled up in an overstuffed chair reading a book. She had made a quick trip to Lux and grabbed the novel from one of his bookshelves earlier that evening while he was playing piano below.

"I thought I would find you outside counting the stars," he teased as he walked over to where she sat.

"Already did that," she replied nonchalantly and then teased. "And I danced naked in the moonlight; pity you missed it."

"Beltane is a way off – not that you have ever joined in," Lucifer said plainly as he looked down at her. He then walked over to the kitchen island where glasses and bottle of scotch sat waiting. Before pouring two glasses, he removed his jacket and hung it on the back of one of the high chairs that were around the counter. Oriel closed the book and went over to join him. "I see you have been playing with shadows again," he added and gestured to the gown she was now wearing.

"I figured I might as well make myself comfortable," she told him and took a small sip from her glass. "I didn't expect you back so soon. Nothing there catch your eye?"

"What can compare to a fae with hair of fire, a razor-sharp tongue, and a penchant for first editions?" he inquired with a mischievous grin. He had known she had visited Lux earlier that night even if no one else there was aware of it.

"Possibly a stubborn and self-indulgent fallen angel," Oriel told him with a pointed look. Taking her gaze from his eyes to his shirt, she used some of her powers to undo a few buttons on his shirt.

"It appears that someone is feeling a little frisky. Don't stop there, keep going," Lucifer told her. He knew, as well as she, that her powers had limits. The more concentration she put to the buttons the more likely the gown constructed from shadows would begin to fade.

"It's much more fun when I use my hands…or so I've been told," she replied with a laugh, well aware of the motive behind his words.

"Get on with it then," he commanded with mock seriousness. "I did leave a perfectly good nightclub to see you."

Oriel did as she was told and led him back to the bedroom. After the romp, they both collapsed into sleep limbs intertwined. A short time later, Lucifer was awoken by sudden movement beside him. He looked over in the dim room to see Oriel thrashing around in her sleep and mumbling. Although he couldn't make out most of what she was saying, he did catch a name that was familiar to him.

"Oriel," he said in a half-whisper. It did no good; she remained asleep.

"Oriel, wake up," he repeated, this time a bit louder and gently touched her shoulder that was nearest to him. She started awake, her eyes glowing bright and ready to attack. Oriel reached and grabbed his arm with inhuman strength as she turned towards him.

Her action and force of her grip took him by surprise; he was even more surprised when she tried to kick him away. Lucifer knew despite the recent twinge of mortality he still had both the strength and power to subdue Oriel immediately. He also realized she was still caught somewhere between her dream and reality and didn't want to injure her. Deciding to try physical strength first, he took hold of both her upper arms and pinned her back to the mattress. "Oriel, it's me," he said his eyes a fiery red as he looked down at her. She continued to struggle against his grip, "Oriel, stop, it's Lucifer."

Seeing his eyes glowing red in the darkness brought Oriel fully awake and she slowly stopped struggling against him. Her own eyes dimmed as she breathed heavily and tried to calm down. "I didn't hit you, did I?" she asked him cautiously now totally aware he was holding her arms down.

"No," he told her and relaxed his grip on her arms. "Thankfully, the sharp kick missed all the vital bits."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly and rubbed any last traces of sleep from her eyes as he let go of her. "I guess I had a bad dream."

"Bad is a touch of an understatement. I would classify it as near night terror…or a flashback," Lucifer told her. He watched her closely trying to discern her reaction. Oriel could feel his eyes on her and she turned her head so she could look at him.

"What?" she asked him sharply and sat upright pulling the sheet around her. The dark room had no effect on her vision and she could see the expression on his face perfectly.

"You were dreaming of Blasius?" he said, half asking her, half telling her.

Oriel nodded silently in reply. For the moment refusing to say the name of the man who was her captor centuries ago.

"How long has this been occurring?" he responded. His gaze was unrelenting in its intensity but Lucifer could see that her features remained impassive and did not betray any of what she was feeling.

"A couple of months…since the incident with the demon on the beach," Oriel told him. "This one was the worst."

"When were you going to mention it?" he inquired with raised eyebrows.

"I just assumed it was old memories surfacing. My dreams have been filled with feelings of being watched or being chased since then. This time…it was like I was reliving it," she told him and paused before saying, "What if he got out?"

"Blasius did not get out," Lucifer assured her. Upon hearing those words Oriel shot him a look that said she clearly thought otherwise and he continued, "Okay yes, I'm here, not in Hell."

Oriel abruptly got out of the bed; a few seconds later Lucifer heard the patio door open as she went outside. Shaking his head, he got up and followed her after donning his boxers. He found her seated on a stone bench wrapped in shadows and staring up at the stars.

"What makes you believe it is more than memories resurfacing? Did you see something?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

"It was so real, Lucifer, I could feel the iron against my skin," Oriel told him in a quiet voice. "And this so-called nightmare happens on the first night I'm away from my home. It's too much of a coincidence for me; you are free to think otherwise."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Oriel," he said trying to choose his words carefully so as not to upset her further.

"You know what he did to me and you know what I did to free myself," she replied, immediately dismissing his words. "If I am correct, he will come after me."

"If it is Blasius, I will not let him hurt you again," Lucifer assured her.

"That is not how we work. You owe me nothing and I owe you nothing – we agreed," Oriel reminded him forcefully.

"If you are correct this is not a demon, how do you, aos sí, propose to fight a soul that has escaped from Hell?" he inquired with a pointed look.

"I will figure something out, Lucifer," she told him brusquely. "I am not your responsibility."

"Oriel, it is in my power to send him back to the torture he so rightly deserves for eternity," he replied. Lucifer's eyes narrowed as he remembered Blasius' story.

"You don't know that," Oriel said as she touched the scars on his back. At her touch, he immediately tensed and then slowly relaxed under her hand. "Shot and bled, remember? It may be better if you stayed far away from me."

"Found you on the beach, remember? I'm the devil that could," he told Oriel and brushed her hair away from her face. "And just as it is my choice to hang around with the police, it is also my choice if I stay away from you – not yours, or anyone else's. Now, off to bed with you and no kicking me this time."


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning Lucifer woke up to find an empty space beside him. He hadn't heard or felt Oriel leave during the early morning hours and he blearily looked around the bedroom searching for her. Unable to even sense her presence nearby, he forced himself to get out of the bed and see if she was in the villa at all. After a quick glance around inside and not seeing her, he walked out the patio door and found Oriel sitting on the stone bench again. This morning she was wearing a Grecian-style gown that shone with the pale yellow hues of the morning sun. She remained silent and motionless as he approached.

"I thought that you might have left without saying goodbye," he pronounced after waiting a few seconds and receiving no acknowledgement from her.

"That would be a new experience for you, wouldn't it?" she replied in an offhand manner still somewhat lost in her thoughts. "My clothes are right next to yours, by the way."

"One can't rely on that. You tend to create new ones as needed," Lucifer said and gestured to what she was wearing. He didn't want to admit to her that he had not even thought to look for her clothing. "I take it you were deliberately hiding?"

"Some of us like to take time to pause and reflect instead of acting rashly," Oriel responded coolly without looking directly at him. "It prevents bad things from happening – like cutting off one's wings unnecessarily."

"Enough!" Lucifer said loudly with an edge of anger in his voice. "You needed to conceal yourself from me in order to think?"

"No more than you needed to conceal the fact that you were shot and bled from me," Oriel replied in a tone that matched his own as she finally looked up at him.

"Punishing the punisher, are we?" he shot back quickly his voice tinged with bitterness. "I suppose I understand with turnabout being fair play and all that."

"Why would I bother? You won't ever feel a bit of guilt, I know that all too well," she answered plainly and looked at him her eyes filling with mirth as she added, "I just didn't want to disturb you."

Although he was still feeling a bit of a sting from Oriel's comment about his wings, Lucifer knew without a doubt that she was telling him the truth. He sat down next to her and did his best to remain calm as he inquired, "What have you decided?"

"I think it's best for all involved if I go home," Oriel told him quickly and then turned her head away. She was sure her answer would be met with Lucifer's disapproval; it had been the main reason she put off returning inside for so long. Oriel was correct in her thinking and upon hearing her reply his expression turned stony and he stood up again.

"You are running away? You spent hours out here following every thread that you could think of, as far as you could and that is the decision you come to?" Lucifer asked with intensity that bordered on anger as he looked down at her. "Since when do you run from a fight, Oriel?"

"I'm not running away. I weighed the options and I'm taking the one I find most agreeable," she countered. As she finally said the words aloud, she found she was trying to convince herself as much as him that she was doing the right thing. "As you so aptly pointed out last night, how would I fight a soul that has escaped from Hell?"

"Oriel, a soul has little power without a demon fueling it, and my words were an offer of assistance not a reason for you to run and hide," he said hoping to clear up any misunderstanding.

"I know both of those things," she replied sternly. "My name has remained out of your ledger for eleven hundred years Lucifer; I am not putting it in there now."

"For all you know it was only a bad dream and my services will not be needed … at least not in that way," he said wearing a sly smile and hoping to lighten her mood.

Ignoring his innuendo, Oriel said, "Let's assume you're right and it is only dreams. What do you suggest I do?" As she watched his expression turn to one of self-satisfied superiority she added, "We're only assuming this for a moment, so don't look so smug."

"I suggest that you stop thinking about the past!" Lucifer stated as he looked directly into her eyes.

"You don't really think I spend time replaying my past over and over in my head?" she asked as she glared back at him.

"I thought we had gotten you over that a long time ago but perhaps I was wrong – perhaps you are relapsing," he mused and idly turned away from her.

"Perhaps it is more than just random bad dreams," Oriel said. The harsh tone in her voice caused him to turn around and face her again.

"If _you_ are correct, what good will returning home do?" he challenged her.

"Angels aren't the only ones kept out of the land where aos sí reside. Ephialtes, that lovely creature you decided to give some charge over nightmares, cannot cross into our realm either. The dreams are not as strong and will not be as strong there," she said making her point for going home.

"Am I to understand that you plan on staying there forever then? No Black Sea, Amsterdam, or California beach?" Lucifer demanded as he looked at her dubiously.

"If need be," she told him stubbornly and did her best to maintain her resolve under his intense gaze. "I cannot relive it again every night."

"I know you, Oriel; you do not remain behind the veil when you are home. You wander the Tor, sit at Glastonbury, and haunt Stonehenge in shadows – sometimes all in the same day. We have had lunch in Paris and dinner in St. Petersburg. You more than anyone, possibly aside from myself, will not be content confined to one spot," he told her. As he spoke, he watched her carefully and tried to gauge her reaction to his words.

"What is your point?" Oriel asked bluntly. She did not want to admit the truth in his words and did her best to remain impassive.

"My point is: you will be miserable in short order," Lucifer stated with a pointed stare, almost certain his words had some effect on her.

"The potential negative effects of my remaining here is too great," she replied slowly.

"What does it matter?" he questioned coldly, his true nature breaking through.

"I am not you; I cannot be callous and cavalier with other's lives – not even yours," Oriel retorted, her reasoning now made clear to him.

"Yes, you would rather play the martyr," Lucifer expounded while shaking his head. Even after knowing her for a millennium, he could still be caught somewhere between exasperation and disbelief at Oriel's depth of feeling and emotions at times. "How often do I need to tell you that sainthood…and the suffering that goes along with it, is not worth it?"

"In my case I am sure a halo is not coming," Oriel said with annoyance as she rejected his notion.

"My father makes exceptions all the time," he told her with narrowed eyes. "He did banish his favorite son to Hell after all."

She laughed, "It is amazing how you can bring any conversation back to you."

"I was merely stating a fact," Lucifer said without pretense.

"If you want to see a fight, order pay-per-view and leave me out of it," Oriel stated and shook her head.

"Why do you really want to go home, Oriel? Is it because of the dreams and the fear they cause you or is it something else entirely?" he challenged, determined to get her to voice aloud the reason for her decision.

"Lucifer, I almost attacked you when you tried to wake me," she recounted. "What if you were a bit more mortal or someone else attempts the same thing?"

"I can take care of myself quite well as I demonstrated last night. Unless you suddenly plan on having random humans in bed with you, it will not be an issue," he told her.

"It is an issue. I woke up before anything happened but what if I don't next time?" Oriel argued. "And it's all because of a dream; a dream, Lucifer. Do you understand the ramifications of that? I cannot fight and defeat something that isn't real and tangible; but I am very able to hurt others in the process."

"Oriel, eventually the dream, if that is what it is, will become reality again," Lucifer said stoically. He understood what she was getting at but chose not to acknowledge the words. "That is the way Ephialtes will work – assuming he knows it is you."

"Great! It was so much fun the first time, I can't wait to do it all again," she uttered with biting sarcasm. "Really Lucifer, that's your selling point?"

"Stop allowing your fear to cloud your perception and your judgment," he replied with a calmness that surprised her. "Listen to what I am telling you."

"I heard what you said…my dream will become reality," Oriel assured him.

"Yes, real and tangible. When it does, you can send Blasius back where he belongs…without my assistance," he said with a serious look on his face. "I just need to keep you sane and prevent you from killing anyone until that moment occurs."

Oriel rolled her eyes and walked back inside the villa without a word. She knew Lucifer would not be swayed from his belief that she should stay in Los Angeles. Her own mind, which had been made up prior to speaking with him, was now filled with doubt.

Before leaving for Lux a short time later, Lucifer looked at Oriel and said with a stern seriousness he rarely used with her, "Think about what I told you, Oriel. I expect to hear your final decision later tonight – in person."

Soon after Lucifer left, Oriel also decided to leave the villa. Restlessly pacing around the house was getting her nowhere and even the outdoors brought little comfort to her thoughts. A few hours later, she sat back on the Pacific Northwest mountainside trying to come to some sort of decision before speaking to Lucifer again.

"Rough night?" Amenadiel asked with a slight smirk as he looked at her. Despite an inhuman ability to go on very little sleep and her best efforts, the previous night's disruption coupled with weeks of restless nights had left Oriel paler than usual. She also was almost certain that the archangel had a hand in the recent events.

"For all the wrong reasons," Oriel replied not bothering to hide her annoyance with the disturbance. After a slight pause she continued, "I'm beginning to think you really do like me in spite of your protests."

"My standards are a bit higher than my brother's," the angel snapped back with a scowl.

His response brought an amused smile to Oriel's face. Deciding not to antagonize him further she did not say the words that first sprung to mind but instead said, "Then there's another reason you've sought me out again, Amenadiel?"

"When is Lucifer returning to Hell?" he asked her angrily.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" she asked with her voice full of exasperation. "I will warn you though, you probably won't get an answer you'll like. He seems to be greatly enjoying helping the police."

"My brother is _not_ a law-abiding rule follower," Amenadiel protested.

"Unlike yourself?" she replied with a definite hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Do not compare me to the devil," the angel commanded her with glaring eyes.

"I wasn't," Oriel said unashamedly while silently noting to herself how both Lucifer and Amenadiel tended to get upset over the same things. "However, I will point out the error in your thinking. Lucifer doesn't like to be told what to do or when to do it, but he does enjoy punishing the evildoer."

"He isn't doing that now," Amenadiel retorted sharply. "They would not let him torture anyone the way he is used to."

"You are assuming he is playing by their rules," Oriel asserted with a gleam in her eye. "An eye flash here, a hell face there and the next thing you know a human's mental state is suddenly less than stable. Voilà – evil being punished."

"You believe he is justified in his actions," the angel said as his eyes grew wide. "Of course you would; you're Lucifer's staunch ally."

"I think you have me mixed up with someone else; I don't tend bar," she told him and waited for Amenadiel's reaction. He said nothing but stared at Oriel coldly.

"Lucifer was set to do a job in Hell and he did it – better than anyone else could," Oriel continued with conviction. "As he sees it, now they receive punishment a bit sooner."

"Presently, he is not doing his job no matter how he sees it. He was not given permission to leave and not return to Hell," the angel countered.

"How many times do I need to tell you that I cannot make your brother do anything he doesn't want to do?" she asked him earnestly.

"Are you really trying Oriel?" Amenadiel inquired as he looked at her intently. He was determined to not believe the aos sí, no matter what she told him – or the number of times she repeated the words.

"How is Hell, Amenadiel?" Oriel asked boldly in return as she shook her head and her eyes glowed in his direction. She was tired of having the same discussion with the angel every time they encountered each other and decided to change the course of the conversation. "Having any trouble keeping track of everyone?"

"How do you know I've been watching Hell?" he questioned her. His voice was filled with honest surprise at her inquiry.

"Did you think no one would mention it to me?" she replied evenly. "I assume you forgot to tell me the first time we spoke and you asked for my help because you had so many things on your mind that day."

"You wouldn't have spoken to Lucifer if I had told you," Amenadiel declared carefully avoiding her eyes.

"We both know that isn't quite true," the fae told him. "I am curious though, what exactly is your job again? Getting Lucifer back to Hell or making sure order is kept there while he's away?"

"Both," the angel said shortly.

"I hate to tell you this, but you're not doing either very well," Oriel said brazenly. "I'll give you a pass on your brother; Lucifer is difficult to navigate even when his mood is agreeable. But maintaining order in Hell, well, I think it's time you go to Plan B."

"Are you accusing me of something Oriel?" he asked as she watched him intently. She was hoping to discern the slightest change to his expression and read what he wasn't saying aloud. "If you are, just say it."

"I'm not accusing you of anything," she replied doing her best to remain calm. Oriel was well aware confronting Amenadiel while alone was not the best idea. She wasn't sure that she could trust the angel not to "accidentally" cause her harm. "I just think it would be detrimental to humankind if anyone got out."

"My brother should have thought of that before he left," the angel told her seriously.

"You know as well as I that Lucifer could care less about the consequences of his actions," Oriel told him.

"He should," he muttered angrily.

"He isn't going to change, Amenadiel…no matter what," she explained to the angel.

"So, am I supposed to wait until Lucifer decides to go back on his own?" Amenadiel asked her with bitterness filling his voice.

"I realize you have a job to do – a very challenging one," she answered. "But, when it comes to Lucifer, you'll catch more bees with honey, as the saying goes. Plus, you won't get stung in the process."

"If my brother isn't careful, he will be the one getting stung," the angel said with a short laugh.

"Dealing with demons must be difficult, possibly even tempting – especially when you don't like the task you've been set and don't hesitate letting everyone know that," Oriel replied trying to remain nonchalant. "Personally, I don't trust them."

"I can handle the demons," he retorted deliberately ignoring the message behind her words. "You've spent too much time sojourning with my brother and forget how powerful we are; they would not dare attempt to overstep my rules."

"You're walking a fine line," Oriel replied with a pointed look. "Be careful you don't fall, Amenadiel. We both know how that turns out."


	14. Chapter 14

From the top of the stairs at Lux, Oriel looked down at the main floor and watched as Lucifer sat at the piano in the center of the large room. Once again she had hidden herself from him, although with the crowd filling every area of the nightclub she might have not been noticed despite her unnatural fiery hair. As Lucifer began playing, the lights dimmed and a spotlight shone on him. Like the rest of the mob of people who surrounded her, Oriel watched silently as he performed. As the last notes echoed from the grand piano, Oriel began walking towards the exit and disappeared.

A few hours later, the elevator doors into the penthouse opened and Lucifer emerged accompanied by a rather good looking young man and woman. The trio was laughing loudly as they entered the room. Oriel looked up from the book she had been reading and watched as Lucifer began pouring drinks totally oblivious to her presence. As he poured a shot into the second glass, he glanced up and saw Oriel curled up on a leather chair watching him intently. The couple turned their heads to see what Lucifer was looking at and suddenly went silent when they saw they were not alone.

"Oriel, this is a surprise," Lucifer said with a gleam in his eye seemingly unfazed by finding her there. "I was planning to stop by the villa later."

"I'd rather just get this conversation out of the way," she replied as she closed the book and stood up. "Bad timing on my part; later is fine."

"Now is perfectly acceptable," he said and handed the filled glasses to the pair. He then ushered them towards the elevator while telling them, "I'll catch up in a while."

Once the elevator doors were closed, Oriel walked towards the bar and watched Lucifer grab another glass and begin pouring again. "I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?" he asked with a wink as he handed her a glass.

"Sorry about interrupting; I forgot the fun and games never stop here," she said ruefully shaking her head and took a sip of whiskey. "He was quite dishy."

"There's always later," he suggested.

"I'll have to pass," Oriel told him and steered the conversation in a different direction. "I was downstairs and heard you play earlier; it brought back memories."

"London?" Lucifer asked and received a nod in reply. He continued with his questions as he eyed her carefully. He knew Oriel's feelings about being in the nightclub; she had always made them very clear. "You were down at Lux? You are quite the stealthy one lately, aren't you?"

"In certain places I find that it's best to fly under the radar," she replied while looking directly at him. "Coming here was a last minute decision."

"How fortunate that you packed appropriate attire," he said sarcastically, calling her out since he knew she had brought nothing with her. Oriel was wearing the same outfit of black jeans, a red brocade bustier and black jacket along with the high-heeled boots that she had donned many months ago when she visited and tried to talk to him about returning to Hell.

"Amazing what you can do when you don't have to wait in line at airports, isn't it?" Oriel answered without hesitation and drained her glass. "I've made my decision but before I tell you, I want to know something. It may change things."

"What cannot wait?" he inquired deliberately saying each word slowly as he watched her place the empty glass back on the bar. Try as he might to discern what her answer was and what she wanted to know, Oriel's face gave away no hints.

"Who did you tell?" she shot back in an accusatory tone, her eyes beginning to glow. As she had sat waiting for him, she had again gone over every possibility of what was responsible for her recent bad dreams always returning to few plausible explanations. Eventually, Oriel made herself pick up a book and put all her concentration to the words on the page to still her mind.

"To whom did I tell what?" Lucifer asked calmly wearing an expression full of confusion.

"As far as I know you are the only one – still alive – who knows," Oriel told him, chalking his question up to their usual banter and as a result, ignored it and the puzzled look on his face.

"Oriel," he said and then paused. When she raised her eyes to look at him with her full attention he continued, "The only one who knows what?"

"My past," she growled.

"And?" he questioned trying to draw out of her in words of what was in her thoughts. Lucifer did his best to keep his temper sensing the precarious nature of her mood.

"The dreams get worse around you. The demon attacks when I'm around you," Oriel related with a hint of a question in her voice as if she was still trying to make sense of it.

"You think I am behind those occurrences?" Lucifer asked her directly. After he finished uttering the words he angrily grabbed his glass and took a drink.

"Not directly," she said simply and with a touch of anger.

"Your faith in me is astounding at times," he muttered with a derisive glance in her direction.

"I know you aren't one to play games like this but, Lucifer, you are the only one who knows what happened; what was done to me; what I did," Oriel answered earnestly in explanation. Lucifer had promised he would never speak of her past to anyone but as she knew, the devil was the devil and he loved to talk. "I need to know if you told anyone."

"I told no one of your past," he declared with a solemnity that did not flinch from her gaze.

"Not even Mazikeen?" she challenged.

"Oriel!" Lucifer exclaimed in surprise.

"Answer the question," she replied sharply and shot an condemning and very angry, glance in his direction.

"Maze knows I see you on occasion, that is all," he told her, his voice surprisingly calm given the tone of Oriel's questions. "Why are you so insistent on the matter?"

"Because I refuse to believe it was a random nightmare," Oriel stated shortly. "Of all the souls to escape Hell, it is one that has ties to me…and consequently, you."

"They _all_ want to get out, Oriel. It is not the Silver City or the Magic Kingdom," Lucifer said plainly.

"Not all of them want to kill me," she replied and motioned for him to pour more whiskey in her glass. He hesitated slightly before complying; not only was it uncharacteristic of Oriel to drink as much as she had, but her current disposition concerned him.

"You don't know that is Blasius' intention," Lucifer reminded her in a slightly imperious tone as she unsuccessfully stifled a sarcastic chuckle. Upon hearing her laugh his eyes flared for a brief moment.

"I highly doubt I will get a thank you," Oriel answered and then drained the glass.

"There are means that prevents them from leaving, so all your concern is for naught," he replied.

"Maybe when you were there that is how it worked," Oriel said as she reached across the bar and ran her hand along his jaw. Oriel's hand lingered against his face for a second or two as she continued in a sterner tone, "You're here now and your brother could care less about the means and methods employed by the devil. He will do his job as he sees fit; if the fae gets destroyed in the process so much the better."

"My brother?" he said thoughtfully as her peered at her. "Michael would not take measures to harm you."

"Michael would not do anything without express orders from your father – possibly in triplicate," she told him wryly as she got up and walked across the room. He smiled at her words despite still being a bit confused.

"Surely you cannot be referring to Amenadiel?" Lucifer asked as he followed her out to the balcony.

"Who better than a warrior angel to be sent to keep control in your absence?" she replied as she looked out over the city. "I think he's grown tired of it though."

"He told you that he has been charged with watching over Hell?" the devil inquired dubiously. Lucifer knew all too well the animosity that existed between Amenadiel and Oriel.

Oriel laughed, "Do you really think Amenadiel would share information like that with me?"

"That _is_ why I asked," he replied with a sideways glance at her. "Oriel, are you certain about this?"

"Do you think I would say it – even to you – if I wasn't?" she answered with a pointed glance in his direction.

"It does explain why he wants me to return so badly," Lucifer mused. He thought for a moment or two about Oriel's comments during their recent conversations and came to a realization. "You think Amenadiel is responsible for allowing Ephialtes to meddle with your dreams and the mystery demon following me also."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Oriel admitted with a placid expression that was in direct opposition with the fire in her eyes.

"More than once, I would guess," he replied.

"Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. Amenadiel is not you; he will not directly contradict your father's plans," she told him. "However, I believe he would agree to almost anything as long as he doesn't have to get his wings dirty."

"He would not deal with demons Oriel; he cannot abide them," Lucifer responded surely.

"Getting you to return to Hell is his priority – by whatever means it may require," she argued in a slightly raised voice.

"Not happening," he stated matter-of-factly. His total lack of concern caused Oriel to smile indulgently at him. "Since I have answered your question, are you going to tell me what your decision is?"

"I am prepared to stay and finish this," Oriel replied. "You were right; I would have a difficult time staying behind the veil dividing the worlds especially while you still owe me dinner in Venice."

"I will refrain from saying I told you so," Lucifer replied slyly which caused Oriel to give him a slightly annoyed look while still smiling.

"This wasn't an easy decision. There were many things to consider and I tried to follow them as best I could; plus, I don't appreciate being pulled into other's disagreements," she explained.

"Yes, playing Switzerland seems to be what the aos sí does best," he answered sardonically remembering how Oriel's kind remained neutral when he chose to disobey his father's rules.

"If you want to hold on to that grudge, fine, but do not include me in it. I wasn't there," Oriel stated firmly knowing exactly what his remark referred to. "You do realize that there is a distinct possibility that when I send Blasius back to his well-deserved pit of punishment another will take his place?"

"We don't even know for sure it is Blasius. It may be just a dream," he said non-committedly.

"Lucifer, I know you wanted me to stay from the beginning – if for no other reason than to prove me wrong," she declared. "Are you prepared for me being right?"

"Oriel, I am able to admit when I am wrong," he answered as a grin slowly filled his face.

"Sure you are," she laughed and then turned serious. "You're looking forward to the commotion, aren't you?"

"It does add an extra bit of excitement," Lucifer confessed and abruptly changed the subject. "If I had told others about your past, what then?"

"I was prepared to stay behind the veil…indefinitely, no matter how difficult," she said without pause.

"Oriel, I told you I would keep your confidence," he solemnly stated. She could see a twinge of disappointment in his eyes as he spoke.

"I know that," she acknowledged suddenly feeling a bit guilty for doubting him. "But since I first told you we've never discussed it again over all the years; I had to hear it for myself and be sure."

"I have never…and will never betray you," Lucifer assured her.

"It's late; I should go. Your friends will think you threw them over for an errant fae," Oriel said quietly. "If I was harsh, I'm sorry. This situation is affecting me more than I would like."

"The villa…," he began.

"Is there for my use," she finished his sentence. "Yes, I know; I checked earlier. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you knew my answer long before I told you. Thank you."

"I cannot have you sleeping in a cave somewhere. It's uncivilized," he said with a smile. "I will stop by later."

"You do so at your own risk," Oriel replied somberly as she remembered what happened the previous night.

"I am more than capable of handling an errant fae, as I have demonstrated countless times over the past one thousand years," Lucifer responded fearlessly.

Oriel left the penthouse but did not immediately return to the villa. She reappeared in a corner of the main floor of Lux and was surprised at the number of people that were still there. With her presence still carefully concealed from inhuman senses, Oriel stood and watched Maze pour drinks and chat up a young man sitting at the bar. The fae's eyes glowed as she observed the demon and it took all her strength to restrain herself from lashing out at the bartender.

Lucifer didn't linger long on the balcony after Oriel went on her way. After a few minutes, he dismissed her serious mood as being caused by Oriel's overthinking the situation. He returned downstairs, glass in hand, to look for the pair he had originally brought up to the penthouse. From the top of the stairs he spied them chatting in a banquette and called out to them unaware the aos sí was still nearby. As Oriel disappeared, Lucifer caught a flicker and quickly turned his head towards the corner of the room where she had been. He was almost certain that he glimpsed hair that looked like a raging fire out of the corner of his eye. Seeing nothing, he turned back towards the couple and began talking again.


	15. Chapter 15

"Have you heard a word I've said?" Chloe asked Lucifer as she turned around to face him. He was looking off in the opposite direction with a preoccupied expression on his face again. She had found him like that almost every time she glanced at him over the past few days.

"Of course. Shots fired, she died, yada yada," Lucifer replied trying to focus his attention on the detective and away from the troubled thoughts that were filling his mind.

"Aside from the fact that the cause of death was stabbing and she is technically still a he, you're right," Chloe told him and braced herself for his response.

"She is a he?" he asked without much interest and looked away.

"Mmm-hmmm," she replied still waiting for some additional response from him. Seeing that Lucifer was totally preoccupied she continued, "Is this not interesting enough for you? Do you have somewhere else you have to be? As I remember it, you asked to tag along on cases, so the least you could do is appear to take an interest."

"I have many things on my mind; this is not all I do, detective," Lucifer told her seriously.

"Lounging in a club every night must be taxing," Chloe responded sarcastically.

"I do more than lounge," he protested. "Lux is not foremost in my mind right now."

"You've been preoccupied for days. I thought you go to therapy to work these things out," Chloe said. She noticed that he seemed to want to say more but after a bit of consideration he remained silent.

"I have not spoken about it in therapy," Lucifer admitted as they walked back to Chloe's car. "One hour is not enough time."

"If you want to talk about it, I'll listen," she told him.

Lucifer looked at her dubiously for a moment or two before saying anything. "It's Oriel," he then blurted out.

"Oriel?" Chloe asked with surprise. "She's in town?"

"She never left," he replied plainly. "She has been here since you last spoke."

"The two of you got in a fight?" she asked innocently.

"No," he replied and shot her a dismissive look.

"She's finally had enough of your adolescent nonsense?" the detective pressed.

"She finds my demeanor amusing – most of the time," Lucifer explained with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

"I highly doubt that," Chloe countered with surety before adding, "Then what is it? This was supposed to be you talking and me listening, not me asking questions and you giving vague answers."

"Oriel is not herself the past week or so," he revealed somewhat reluctantly. "She is reticent to the point of deafening silence; she hardly eats, and avoids sleeping for as long as she can."

"Why don't you just ask her what's bothering her?" Chloe suggested aloud. She silently noted how much time Lucifer must have spent with Oriel recently to notice these things.

"I already know what's bothering her," he stated impatiently.

"In that case, you may want to start with an apology," the detective replied assuming the reason behind Oriel's current state was a direct result of Lucifer's words and actions.

"It is not my fault!" he objected. "Maybe you could point that out to Oriel."

"Me?" Chloe asked not disguising her shock at his request. "I hardly know her and I don't think she likes me."

"Trust me, detective, if Oriel didn't like you she wouldn't speak to you at all," Lucifer stated. He then proceeded to convince her to drive to the villa where Oriel was staying.

Chloe looked around as she got out of the car. "This is a surprise. I assumed Oriel lived somewhere else," she said.

"She does reside elsewhere," Lucifer replied without further explanation. "However, Oriel is – for the time being – staying here."

He walked up to the front door and grabbed the door handle. Chloe heard the tumblers move as he twisted the knob and opened the door. "Do you ever knock?" the cop asked.

"Never with Oriel," he replied with a sly smile.

They walked inside and found the dwelling empty. Lucifer had expected as much and led the way out the patio doors. Oriel was sitting on the ground reading a book; she was clothed in material that shone of sunlight. Realizing that Oriel was not about to acknowledge their presence, Lucifer cleared his throat. When Oriel looked up, Chloe was surprised to see how tired the aos sí appeared. The slight dark circles under Oriel's eyes from restless nights were emphasized by her paleness and the fae's overall demeanor seemed to exude apathy.

No one uttered a word. Eventually, Lucifer gave Chloe a slight shove, "Go ahead, tell her."

"Tell me what?" Oriel inquired and looked from Lucifer to Chloe and back again.

Chloe gave the devil a nasty glare before saying to Oriel, "Lucifer is worried because you're not yourself the past few days."

"I'm not worried," Lucifer interrupted which caused both Oriel and Chloe to look in his direction. The look on both women's faces said they did not believe him. "I may be a trifle concerned, but I am most definitely not worried."

"Did Lucifer tell you why I am not quite myself?" Oriel asked the detective as she angrily snapped the book shut and placed it on the ground beside her. The fae's words and actions caused the devil to stalk back inside the house.

"No," Chloe answered shaking her head in frustration as she watched Lucifer walk away. After thinking for a moment or two she asked, "Does this have anything to do with whatever was following him?"

"What _is_ following him," Oriel corrected and then said, "I believe that the two are related; he thinks otherwise."

Chloe walked over to where Oriel was sitting and said quietly, "I think that Lucifer is afraid that you're mad at him."

"I'm not," Oriel said shortly as Chloe looked down at her with a skeptical look on her face. The fae ran her hands through her hair and went on to explain, "He's like a child in some ways. Lucifer honestly cannot fathom that his way of thinking might be flawed, much less that he might be wrong. How can I stay angry at that?"

"You're a better person than I am?" Chloe replied sincerely.

"No…I've just had a thousand years to figure it out," Oriel assured her.

"But…if he," the detective began.

"Chloe, I'm exhausted," Oriel said cutting the other woman off. "I have nightmares of my past that become more real with each passing moment. Lucifer knows this and knows what the dreams entail."

"Then he should understand," Chloe stated firmly even though she didn't understand fully what Oriel meant. The detective in her was sure that there was more to this than dreams.

"Nothing scares him; on the other hand, it still terrifies me. It terrifies me to the point that I don't want to talk about it – not even to Lucifer," the fae explained. "He has a hard time understanding that."

"Maybe if you did try talking to someone about it," Chloe suggested but was cut off.

"There is only one way that this will be resolved. Now if you'll excuse me," Oriel said as she stood up and walked inside the villa.

Oriel found Lucifer leaning against a kitchen counter. There was an open whiskey bottle nearby and he had a drink and lit cigarette in hand. He hesitated and surreptitiously raised his eyes to look over at her.

"It's not you. As you well know, I have no problem telling you when it is," she said as their eyes met. She continued walking by him and entered the bedroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, she was wearing loose-fitting black pants and a flowy, white linen top. She had pulled her hair back from her face and quickly braided it in an effort to tame it.

"Where are you going?" Lucifer asked Oriel taking note of her hair and change of clothing.

"To tempt fate," the fae answered with glowing eyes and a determined look on her face. She reached over and grabbed the cigarette from his hand and crushed it out before suddenly disappearing.

"Oriel!" he called after her knowing it was futile.

Chloe walked quickly inside when she heard Lucifer's voice raise. As she entered, she looked around expecting to see Oriel somewhere nearby. "Is everything alright?"

"The odds are definitely not in favor of that," he told her sharply and stared at the remains of the cigarette.

"Where is Oriel?" Chloe asked continuing to look around the villa.

"Off to tempt fate," Lucifer replied ambiguously.

"Lucifer!" the detective admonished.

"That is what she said," he said. "Bloody hell if I know where she went."

"Oriel said you can find her at any time," she stated. "Can you or can't you?"

"She has hidden herself from me. She does not want me to find her presently," he said seriously and then smiled.

"You're smiling? This isn't funny," Chloe admonished him. "You don't know where she is or what she is thinking."

After leaving the villa, Oriel went to an area in the Redwoods forest she had discovered a few days before. Oriel had always loved the woods, and being surrounded by the tall trees not only provided her with a sense of serenity but also helped to revitalize her. She stood for a few minutes and watched a bluebird as she idly let sunlight pool in her hand. As the bird flitted off, she poured the sunlight to the ground and crafted a circle of witchfire around her. Summoning demons was not something Oriel had ever done before. Although she was well versed in all types of spells, Oriel wasn't sure what she was planning would work.

Oriel took a deep breath to center herself and also whispered a small prayer. She then uttered the words to summon Ephialtes. A moment later, an almost invisible ripple between the worlds appeared in the forest. As she watched with her blue-green eyes glowing brightly, a demon stood before her. Oriel quickly tried to recall all of Lucifer's ramblings about demons and it didn't take long before she was sure that it was Ephialtes facing her.

Ephialtes was about three-feet tall, although his actual height was difficult to discern as he was hunched over. His skin was the color of red clay, and was wrinkled and leathery looking. The demon had a bald head, large pointed ears, piercing green eyes and extremely long fingers and toes with nails that were like talons. He looked around nervously; his head and eyes darting in all directions.

"Seems you were hoping for someone else," Oriel said plainly as she watched him with curiosity.

"Is he here?" Ephialtes asked in return, his gravelly voice almost a whisper.

"Is who here?" she questioned harshly and pretended not to know who the demon meant.

"Lucifer," he hissed at the fae.

"The Morning Star himself?" she said with mock surprise. "Word has it he's given up on Hell and retired to the City of Angels – of all places. This is California but there's no one here but me. Sorry."

"He must be here. You would not know how to summon me," Ephialtes countered as he twisted his head and looked up at her. "Aos sí do not traffic with demons."

"Things change when demons traffic with aos sí. Someone has to step in and mediate," Oriel explained.

"So they sent you?" the demon asked and pointed a long finger in her direction, "You must have greatly angered someone."

"I like to wander beyond the veil, unlike most. Besides, you wouldn't harm an aos sí without provocation, would you?" Oriel shrugged and said sweetly with wide eyes. She was surprised to find that Ephialtes did not realize that the aos sí he was speaking with was the same he was sending the nightmares to. For the time being, she was content to keep it that way.

"I assume you were sent to ask me to put an end to the nightmares affecting the rogue fae?" Ephialtes questioned.

"We can start with that," she replied stonily while inwardly amused at being described as rogue.

"If I refuse will you try to force me otherwise? You aren't strong enough for that," the demon said confidently as he gestured to the circle of fire that surrounded her.

"I did manage to summon you on my own," Oriel pointed out as she let the circle of blue-white fire die down around her. She then opened her left hand and the same fire flared for a few seconds before she tossed it carelessly in his direction. "There's no telling what else I can do."

Ephialtes knew little about the aos sí or the extent of their powers. As Oriel spoke, he took a step backward and looked up at her with a bit of fear suddenly reflected in his eyes, "The dreams – they were not entirely of my doing."

"Nightmares are your forte, Ephialtes, are they not?" she inquired as she cupped her hand, the fire reappearing in her palm.

"They are, but it was not my idea," he told her in an attempt to excuse his actions.

"Then whose?" Oriel shot back in reply.

"A soul long tortured," the demon answered in a near whisper.

"Since when do lesser demons grant favors…especially to souls in Hell?" she asked loudly.

"As you said, Lucifer no longer resides in Hell. In his absence, I decided one favor to one soul could do no harm," he stated and then smiled. "After all, it didn't involve a human."

"Just a lowly aos sí," Oriel said with fiery blue-green eyes. "You realize that we know how your favor works? Does your favored soul know all the details?"

"He knows enough," Ephialtes declared with a shrug.

"Probably just enough to agree to this favor in the hope of…," the fae said and waited eagerly for the reply.

"Vengeance against the rogue fae," he answered with a wicked smile.

"And, perhaps, the chance to live again – forever?" she guessed as Ephialtes nodded. Oriel choked out a short laugh before continuing, "You don't have the power to grant that; no one does, not even Lucifer."

"What does it matter?" the demon asked her. "This is not my battle…or yours."

"You made it the battle of many as soon as you decided to grant this favor," Oriel stated still keeping her identity hidden from Ephialtes.

"Aos sí will not fight, especially not for one so young…and so headstrong," he told her. The demon's words revealed that he had been told something of Oriel.

"The rogue fae has many allies among her own kind and among others more powerful than either of us," she explained. "End it now and avoid the conflict."

"This is not my battle," Ephialtes repeated.

"You started it. There must be something in it for you to risk the punishment that is surely coming to you," the aos sí said with certainty.

Ephialtes paused and considered his words before responding, "Lucifer has deserted Hell."

"I am well aware that Hell and its inhabitants are not totally unguarded – or unpunished – despite the devil's absence," Oriel told him and then pressed, "What's in it for you?"

"Nothing," the demon hissed.

"There must be. Your kind would not risk bothering the aos sí without the promise of a great reward," she said with narrowed gleaming eyes. "Will you be the new ruler of Hell?"

"I find humans much more interesting to deal with on earth," he replied with a wicked grin that revealed razor sharp teeth.

Oriel stared unflinchingly at the demon "So you've been promised more power here? How does that work since you don't exactly blend in with the crowd with those talons?"

"I would never tell you, aos sí," Ephialtes muttered.

"Perhaps your nightmares will become reality instead of being forgotten about when humans awake," she mused as she thought about her experience since arriving in Los Angeles. Oriel knew she had guessed correctly as she watched the demon's expression change. Ephialtes mouth now hung open in astonishment.

"Wings and Heaven may have been taken from us, but all our powers are still intact," Oriel said using the demon's general ignorance of the aos sí to her advantage. She was well content with having Ephialtes believe she could see the future clearly or read minds or even possibly both. When she finished speaking, Oriel re-opened the rift between Hell and Earth.

"You may want to think on that and pass along the information to your special soul. We will know your answer either way," she told him as she used the strength of her powers accompanied by a strong gust of wind to push Ephialtes back into the Underworld.

"Now what?" Chloe asked Lucifer after she had calmed down a bit. "You wanted me to talk to Oriel; we talk and she disappears."

"Now we go about our day," Lucifer replied nonchalantly as he finished his drink and put the glass down on the counter.

"Aren't you going to look for her?" the detective inquired curiously.

"No," the devil said shortly. When he saw the expression on the detective's face he continued, "Are you not listening? She doesn't want me to find her."

"What if something happens to her?" Chloe continued on hoping to evoke some concern on his part.

"That I will know," he assured her. He was not about to try and explain how he and Oriel were bound.

"Convenient," she replied angrily. "You really have the market cornered on dickishness, Lucifer. You care enough to come over here when she won't talk to you, but now that she's disappeared you don't give a damn."

"She is not missing," Lucifer said plainly.

"Do you know where she is?" Chloe pressed.

"No…," he slowly admitted with a loud sigh. "You may not believe this detective but if I thought Oriel was in peril, I would try to find her."

"You're right, I don't believe you," she answered angrily. "She's withdrawn, can't sleep, and doesn't want to eat – it sounds like she's depressed. What if she tries to hurt herself?"

"Oriel is not going to hurt herself," Lucifer stated with certainty.

"Did you suddenly become psychic? You don't know that?" Chloe argued vehemently.

"I know Oriel – much longer than you in case you have forgotten," the devil countered in turn. "She is not depressed and if she had thoughts to hurt herself she would tell me."

"You don't know that for sure," the detective repeated.

"I know!" Lucifer practically yelled and angrily walked out the front door of the villa. A few seconds later, Chloe heard a car door slam shut.


	16. Chapter 16

It was near two in the morning when Lucifer reappeared at the villa. Oriel was still wide awake and sat curled in a chair, her attention focused on some candles she had lit earlier in the evening. "For someone only a trifle concerned, you're here early tonight," she said as she watched the flickering flames. Despite the serious tone of her voice there was a mischievous glint in her eye that Lucifer caught even in the dimly lit room.

"I let my curiosity get the better of me," Lucifer replied with a shrug doing his best to sound and appear nonchalant. He knew that despite her air of determination when she left earlier, Oriel was extremely tired and her strength would suffer because of it. "I know you can hold your own…even without all the layers of protection you've put around here."

"Given the present situation, it's for the best," Oriel told him. Her mood had lightened a bit since returning to the villa but she was still exhausted – both mentally and physically. She was surprised to learn that he had noticed the spells she had cast. "Seems someone hasn't turned completely mortal yet."

"I am well acquainted with your magic," he said as he poured a drink. "You were able to summon Ephialtes?"

"Yes. I guess you're not as surprised as I am?" she replied with a troubled expression. She wasn't bothered that Lucifer had correctly guessed what she had been up to, but rather by the ease in which she was able to call a demon forth from the underworld.

"You are stronger than you think Oriel. How many times do I need to tell you that before you believe me?" the devil asked her. He held out the filled glass and offered it to her. "Maybe now you will try shapeshifting."

"There will be no tries at shapeshifting. EVER. How many times do _I_ need to tell you that?" she told him while declining the drink pointing out the glass she had filled with water nearby.

Lucifer smirked as he heard her reply. It was the same response he always received. "Is Hell down one demon?"

"Not yet," Oriel said.

"You do enjoy being diplomatic – except when it comes to my cigarettes," Lucifer replied as he shook his head more amused than annoyed as he recalled the events of earlier that day. "I cannot understand what the aos sí get out their constant civility."

"You can catch more flies with honey," she said with a slight smile. "We've also found that the dead tend not to talk."

"Ephialtes spoke to you?" he asked his voice filled with astonishment. The devil had been almost certain that the demon would not utter a word to the being he was currently tormenting. But Lucifer was aware something had changed since that morning – Oriel was talking to him, which she hadn't done in days.

"He thought I was an envoy sent by the fae to try and reason with him," she explained.

"Oriel, you know demons tend to lie," Lucifer cautioned.

"This one doesn't lie that well. He also doesn't ask important questions like whom he is talking to," Oriel told him with an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

"Not everyone is as inquisitive as you. What did you learn?" he said as he sat in a chair across from her.

"Ephialtes is not very well informed about the aos sí. If I wasn't so tired, I would've stirred up some wind and had him thinking we can control the weather," the fae replied with an impish grin.

"That is not entirely false," Lucifer said with a pointed look after taking a sip of his drink.

"It is also far from the actual truth, although it could develop into the stuff of legend; kind of like you and goats," she told him.

"Not only did we agree to not ever speak of that, I am not here to discuss me," the devil retorted.

"Lucifer, you really do care!" Oriel said with mock surprise as his eyes flashed red at her. "Getting back to a less interesting subject, Amenadiel and Ephialtes are making promises they cannot keep. In addition to being allowed to exact vengeance against me, Blasius has been promised immortality once he turns corporeal."

"That is not possible," Lucifer stated casually.

"The only one not aware of that fact is Blasius," she laughed wryly. "It appears that they – well, Amenadiel – are willing to promise anything to reach his goal."

"Which is?" the devil inquired.

"You back in Hell. That _is_ what this is all about after all," Oriel said emphatically.

"How does any of this even attempt to get me back to Hell?" Lucifer asked seemingly indifferent to the idea.

"Your brother likes to think that we are bound like a junkie to his fix. Take the fix away and withdrawal soon sets in. You may agree to anything – after a while – to get a hit," she told him.

"You think that Amenadiel believes that if you remain in the world of the aos sí for some time I will be easier to deal with?" he inquired slowly.

"Lucifer, everyone knows you are not easy to deal with but it may make you more open to suggestions," Oriel answered. "Plus, there is the definite possibility of me being killed or driven crazy without Amenadiel lifting a finger. I think he would like that."

"I abhor taking his side but my brother would not harm you," he told her sincerely.

"Not directly. I've learned angels don't like to get their hands dirty – present company included," she said with a challenging stare.

"That is…," Lucifer began and then paused to think, "not entirely true."

"It's been ages since any one of you have gotten involved in any matter…unless it was on direct order from your father. Taking sides in your tiff was the only thing they have ever made a choice on," she affirmed.

"What is your point?" he asked sharply.

"Angels may have wings but tend to be a bit wishy-washy when it comes to making up their own minds," Oriel stated.

"Angels are wishy-washy?" Lucifer asked pronouncing each word slowly and giving a special emphasis to the words wishy-washy. "Might I remind you that the aos sí were expelled from Heaven because they wouldn't pick a side."

"It wasn't their argument. I wonder what things would be like if everyone hadn't given in to the politicking," she replied without hesitation.

"I have never been wishy-washy – with or without wings," he retorted.

"True, you're more like a stubborn child with a flair for the dramatic," Oriel conceded. "After all, why indulge in a plain old temper tantrum when you can clip your wings just in case anyone forgot that you're upset with the status quo?"

"Yes, yes. I'm a rebel and I'll never be any good," he muttered.

"That's debatable. Anyway, I'm sure your father took note even if he didn't say anything to you," Oriel said as she looked at him directly. They sat in silence with eyes locked and unmoving except for Oriel slightly cocking her head challenging him to contradict her words. Not wanting to begin an argument they had engaged in many times and not having a good comeback ready, Lucifer looked away.

"If you are correct about Amenadiel, he will not be happy when he realizes that you summoned and spoke with Ephialtes," Lucifer replied attempting to redirect the conversation.

"I don't care. This ends one way or the other. I'm tired of being a pawn in this chess match," she told him.

"Oriel," he began concerned by the seriousness of her voice.

"Your brother is trying to use me to get to you," Oriel said cutting him off from a further reply. "He has from the very beginning."

"He asked you to speak to me. That is all," the devil reminded her.

"I am still willing to talk to you about going back to Hell. You do need to consider the implications of you remaining here permanently. But, I will not coerce, bribe, or force your hand in that decision. I think he realizes that now," she told him.

"Oriel, you cannot hold your tongue, let alone your temper," Lucifer pointed out. "Amenadiel is an archangel, you are not strong enough to go against him."

"I know that whatever magic and power I may have is no match to an angel's. However, your brother isn't playing fair and I am more than willing to bend the rules to gain any advantage I can," the fae answered with a stony countenance.

"You will need every advantage that you can muster," he said flippantly and watched her expression change. One thousand years had given him plenty of time to learn which buttons to push to elicit a response from her.

"I don't plan on losing, Lucifer… not to Blasius and not to Amenadiel," Oriel responded angrily, her eyes beginning to blaze with a blue-green light.

Lucifer said nothing but a sly smile of approval appeared on his face. She had finally said aloud what he had wanted to hear from her since she told him about the nightmares. "What's with the look?" Oriel asked.

"Finally…I have managed to snap you out of it," he declared. He grinned widely and waited for her thanks which he assumed would be coming shortly.

"You managed to snap me out of what?" the fae asked instead causing the smile to disappear from his face.

"Whatever funk you were in. You were not yourself, Oriel," he explained. Lucifer avoided mentioning anything Chloe had said to him knowing the fae would not take kindly to the detective's words.

"I'm sorry that me coming to terms with the compromises I'm making of what I will and won't do wasn't fun for you," Oriel told him with a stinging look.

"I take it one of those compromises was summoning a demon from Hell?" he asked although he already knew the answer.

"It goes against everything I was taught," she said thinking back to her childhood. Attempting any sort of dark magic, much less summoning a demon would have had Oriel trapped inside the four walls of her home for days; a terrible fate for a young fae who liked to wander the woods. Her foster mother may have been a witch, but she had strict rules that even an inhuman child was expected to obey.

"I know," Lucifer said with a compassion that caught her off guard. His empathy was short-lived though and the devil went on to say, "Might I point out that you are still here and possibly stronger for doing it? There was no lightning bolt from my father to be seen, or felt as the case may be. Looks like I was right…again."

As Oriel shook her head with a wry smile on her face, Lucifer took something from an inner jacket pocket. He placed a dagger on the coffee table and pushed it towards her. "What's this?" she asked.

"You are not the only one who is willing to bend the rules," Lucifer told her.

Oriel picked up the weapon which fit perfectly in her palm and looked it over. Overall, it was approximately 10 inches long, razor-sharp and fabricated in one piece. Its hilt bore a twisted pattern to the crossguard and featured a faceted stone which like Oriel's hair seemed to glow with the colors of fire. She could tell by touch that the metal the dagger was crafted from was nothing ever to be found on Earth. "This is not of this world," she said.

"It was forged in Hell," he said.

"You didn't pilfer one of Mazikeen's weapons, did you?" she questioned him. Her voice was filled with exasperation. "I would prefer to fight one battle at a time."

"This is not one of her favorites," Lucifer explained.

"Do you intentionally try to piss off as many people as you can at once just to see if you can get out of it?" Oriel asked her eyes flaring.

"Wh…," the devil began.

"You steal one of your demon's knives…to give to me. You know she barely tolerates me. What are you thinking?" she continued over his half-hearted interjection.

"I am thinking that you have been pulled into a fight that is not wholly yours and that blades forged in hellfire can be quite deadly," he said in justification of his action.

"If I accept this, what do I owe you in return?" Oriel said running her finger lightly over the blade.

"Consider it a gift," he told her.

Oriel gave him a puzzled look as she placed the dagger back on the table. "Lucifer, there are always strings attached when you are involved."

"I would prefer that you not die in this endeavor," he admitted. "It's a purely self-serving request; finding another traveling companion as interesting as you would be quite vexing."

Oriel bit down hard on her bottom lip to stifle the sarcastic reply that came to mind. She knew this was as close as she would get to an admission of concern from Lucifer. With a concerted effort, she changed the subject. "I guess we learned my gift of sight really is sketchy at best. The retribution seems to be directed at me."

"Not if you look at the big picture," Lucifer said matter-of-factly. "What do you see now?"

"I've stopped looking. It's a frightening path to go down," she replied as the devil watched her intently.

Lucifer had another drink and the pair spoke for a while longer until Oriel suddenly stood up. "Go home, Lucifer. It's early enough for you to find a diversion or two wandering around Lux."

"I could easily be diverted here," he said looking intently in her direction.

"That's fine if all you want to do is sleep," she replied. "I'm exhausted and I can't put it off much longer."

"What if Blasius materializes before you fully awake?" Lucifer asked her.

"He is not your concern, Lucifer. Besides nothing is going to happen here with all the magic about," Oriel assured him.

"Are you certain?" he pressed.

"For someone who isn't worried and is sure that I can take care of myself, you're not acting like it," she told him.

Lucifer left the villa, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and headed back home. Although there were a few stragglers still left at Lux, he found himself uninterested and headed up to the penthouse alone. The devil changed his clothes and decided to try and get some sleep but instead found himself awake and staring up at the ceiling in the bedroom. Annoyed, he eventually got up, stalked off to the balcony, and lit a cigarette. As he stood there smoking, something impinged on the edge his awareness causing him to look around warily. At first he thought it was the invisible demon that followed him from time to time, but this felt different and was not in the penthouse with him. Lucifer walked out of the elevator in Lux and leaned over the balcony at the top of the stairs expecting to see someone there. The entire nightclub was now empty and quiet, aside from a rustling noise behind the bar.

"Maze?" Lucifer called as he walked down the stairs dressed in only black silk boxers and robe. "No need to hide, I've seen it all."

He received no reply, but from behind the bar a figure stood up and stared directly at the devil. "Is bottled water too pedestrian for you to have on hand?" the imposing figure asked.

"I take it back, obviously I have not seen it all," Lucifer replied. "Is a plague of locusts imminent?"

"Not that I am aware," came the answer. "I hope I didn't ruin your evening."

"To what do I owe the honor of your presence Michael?" the devil inquired coolly as he walked over to the bar.

"You can't guess why I'm here?" the angel asked.

"Please tell Dad I cannot return a demon to Hell when I cannot find it most of the time," Lucifer told his brother. He then pointed to a glass and bottle. When the angel handed them over, Lucifer poured a drink.

"I'm not here about the missing demon although I recommend you rectify that problem soon," Michael replied with a solemn stare.

"You didn't drop in just to say hello," Lucifer stated.

"Is the fae safe?" Michael inquired.

"Oriel?" Lucifer asked with narrowed eyes. "You are here about Oriel?"

"She should not be put in danger because of your stubbornness," the angel answered.

"From what I understand, I am not the one you need to be speaking with, brother," Lucifer replied nonchalantly and emptied his drink. "For what it's worth, as of a few hours ago she was fine."

"Lucifer, you need to keep her safe. There are demons involved and they are under your rule," Michael said emphatically.

" _Were_ under my rule. I quit, remember," the devil clarified. "You are not giving her enough credit; Oriel is well matched to battle any demon. Or is it the angel involved in this that troubles you?"

Michael's resolve withered a bit under Lucifer's icy glare. "Neither of them are likely to back down. If it comes to blows, Oriel will not emerge unscathed."

"She will not allow me to help her, as usual Oriel does not want to be in debt to me," Lucifer said in explanation.

"I cannot fault her for that," the angel replied.

"But you can fault me even when my help is not wanted," Lucifer said with a snarl and refilled his glass.

"I did not come here to argue with you," Michael told him. "Oriel may need your help, Lucifer, even if she doesn't ask for it."

"Since, as you have often said, it is not your place to get involved in other's affairs, why do you care?" the devil asked his brother.

Michael looked at Lucifer intently and paused before he replied. "A better question is why you seem not to." Without another word the archangel disappeared.

Lucifer returned to the penthouse drink in hand soon after Michael left. Any possibility of sleep had disappeared as quickly as his brother and the devil sat himself in an upholstered leather chair. As he mulled over the few sentences the angel had uttered, Lucifer was torn between remaining in the penthouse or returning to villa against Oriel's wishes. As he finished drink and stood up, he again sensed a presence down in Lux.

"Bloody hell, what now," he muttered and put the glass down on a side table before heading towards the elevator.


	17. Chapter 17

Lucifer quickly walked down the steps at Lux and headed towards the bar fully expecting to see Michael standing in the same spot that he had been in earlier. He walked around the bar and found it empty. Seeing nothing, he headed back towards the stairs. Lucifer's foot barely hit the first step when he heard a noise. He turned towards the sound and was able to make out a figure in the shadows.

"Last call was some time ago," Lucifer said from where he stood.

"Last call? What is this place?" a man's voice said sounding a bit confused.

"Your last call was years ago," Lucifer muttered to himself as he recognized the voice. In a louder voice he asked, "How did you get in here anyway?"

"Lucifer?" the man asked as he walked towards the devil. "I didn't expect to see you."

"That makes two of us, Blasius," Lucifer told him as he looked at the other man intently. "What are you doing here?"

"E-Ephialtes," the other man stammered unable to pull away from Lucifer's gaze. Blasius was much shorter and stockier than Lucifer, with sandy brown hair and a nose that had come in contact with a few fists during its first time on earth.

"Ephialtes did not accompany you on your escape from Hell? That is strange behavior for a demon with an opportunity," the devil mused.

"He doesn't like here," Blasius replied.

"Really?" Lucifer asked with arched eyebrow.

"That is what he told me. He would rather watch the chaos he causes from afar," the man said.

"Ephialtes always did prefer only making the snowballs instead of getting into the fight," the devil said shaking his head. "What about you, Blasius? Why did you want to escape?"

"Revenge," Blasius said simply and with effort pulled his eyes away from Lucifer. "What is this place?"

"This is a nightclub. People gather, drink, dance," Lucifer explained to him.

"People dance wearing that now?" Blasius asked gesturing to Lucifer's clothing. As he reached to touch the black silk robe, the devil took a step back out of reach.

"Not generally. I was hoping to get some sleep tonight," Lucifer answered. When he saw the puzzled look on Blasius' face he further explained, "I reside upstairs."

"Is my vila here?" Blasius asked gruffly. He referred to Oriel using the term from his native tongue. Although Blasius was curious about Lucifer's residence and the world he had returned to, his personal reason for returning overrode any potential questions he would have asked.

"Blasius, women belong only to themselves – whether human or fae. She is not yours," Lucifer corrected him sharply.

"Are you not keeping her for me? Have you spoken with Ephialtes?" Blasius inquired while ignoring the devil's words entirely.

"I have not spoken with Ephialtes since I departed Hell. My responsibilities now include running this nightclub and ensuring the humans who come here have a good time," the devil told him. "The dealings of lesser demons and human souls wanting revenge are of no consequence to me."

"Oriel must be here. Her dream brought me," Blasius said. Lucifer listened and remained impassive. Since he recognized the man wandering in the nightclub, the devil had been trying to figure out why Blasius turned up at Lux. Oriel had rarely entered the building in the past five years and when she had her time there was hardly nightmare worthy.

"Oriel, as you often told me, prefers the wood and water. This place is neither," Lucifer said and gestured around the room. He was not about to share with Blasius that he knew precisely where Oriel was or how very well acquainted they were, since the man did not seem to know that.

Blasius' looked around the dim nightclub, his eyes lingering on the large screens filled with silhouettes of dancing women. "I need to find her," he replied.

"Why bother? You have done what few souls do and made it out of Hell. Is that not enough for you?" Lucifer asked as he also watched the gyrating figures.

"I caught her; she was mine," Blasius stated firmly.

"You trapped a child," Lucifer said loudly and angrily. As the devil's voice raised, Blasius involuntarily took a step backwards.

"I caught _a vila_. And then she dared stab me – with my own blade," Blasius challenged. "I have returned to avenge myself and when I do, a knife in her heart will come at the very end."

"It would appear that I am not as skilled at devising punishments as I believed. You obviously learned nothing from your time in Hell," the devil replied. He had mostly forgotten how angered and degenerate Blasius was but the memories resurfaced quickly.

"She was fed, clothed, and had a place to sleep. For that I was condemned," Blasius sneered. He had not spoken so boldly to Lucifer since his first days in Hell and he had suffered for that brazenness. However, Ephialtes had assured him that upon return to earth immortality was his, while the devil was becoming ever more mortal.

"Remember to whom you speak!" Lucifer roared. As he spoke, his eyes blazed red and he transformed into a demon-like creature. "I knew exactly what you did to arrive in Hell before you uttered a word."

"What of the vila? Oriel deserves punishment as well for what she did to me," Blasius said refusing to back down.

Enraged at Blasius' words, Lucifer quickly lunged forward, grabbed the man by the neck and easily lifted him up. The man's eyes grew wide. It appeared that the devil still had all his power even though he no longer resided in Hell – no matter what Ephialtes had said. "You dare to pass judgment after all you have done?" the devil asked and began squeezing Blasius' throat.

"What – what does it matter?" Blasius choked out while hanging from Lucifer's grip. "Sh – she has no soul. Neither you nor your father will get her."

Lucifer said nothing but increased the pressure around Blasius' neck. Looking down at the devil with a determined gaze, the other man stopped struggling and managed a half-smile. Ephialtes had told him he could no longer be hurt. Blasius trusted the demon; after all, he was back on earth, and Ephialtes assured him that an even more powerful being wanted him to succeed with his retribution.

Blasius' smile snapped Lucifer out of his blind rage and the devil realized what he was about to do. No matter how angry, Lucifer would not break the unwritten rule that an angel could not take a human life without order from his father – even if it meant Oriel could be in serious danger. Lucifer returned to his human appearance, slowly loosened his grip, and put Blasius' feet back on the floor of Lux.

"I'll let you know when I find the vila. Perhaps you could brush up on your punishments with Oriel before I finish her," Blasius told Lucifer with a smug smile on his face.

"GET! OUT!" Lucifer yelled with eyes blazing red and pointed towards the door. "Get out now!"

Moments before Lucifer discovered his second visitor of the night, Oriel bolted awake and sat straight up in bed breathing heavily. Instinctively, she reached underneath the pillow next to her and grabbed the dagger Lucifer had presented to her. In the end, she had decided to keep it. She could see clearly in the pitch dark room and Oriel glanced around to make sure she was alone while clutching the dagger close. Seeing and sensing no one, Oriel began to relax and breathe easier but she knew that her nightmare had materialized and somewhere Blasius was walking the earth again.

As she sat alone in the dark, Oriel suddenly regretted not letting Lucifer stay the night. Not wanting to be chided for being fearful, plus an overriding stubbornness prevented her from calling him or going to Lux immediately. Instead, she made sure all the enchanted walls and boundaries she had set were still intact. Oriel then lay back down and curled up in a ball under the covers with the dagger still firmly gripped in her hand. Eventually, she fell back into a troubled sleep.

The next morning as she emerged from the bathroom clad only in a towel, Oriel gave a startled jump. Lucifer sat in the middle of the bed idly spinning the dagger in his hands and looking at her with a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"One would think that someone being haunted, or hunted as the case may be, would not let their defenses down – especially whilst they are in the shower," Lucifer told her taking great delight in the surprised look on her face.

"Careful. If a bullet makes you bleed a bit, one slip with that and you could have a serious problem," Oriel muttered as she watched him play with the knife. She was annoyed that Lucifer had managed to get inside without her knowing. He was right, she had let her guard down and allowed herself to relax and get lost in thought once she finally pulled herself out of the bed.

"Now Oriel, if anyone should be upset it is me. The towel didn't fall as easily as your spells did," he reasoned.

"I hate to burst the little self-congratulatory bubble you're floating in, but I let them fade now that I'm fully awake," she retorted with a smile and walked closer to the side of the bed. "Are you here for something other than hoping to catch me without a towel?"

"Shortly after leaving you last night, I had a visitor at Lux," he said as he swung his feet off the bed and sat to face her.

"I assumed as much," Oriel stated and pushed some strands of damp hair away from her face.

"You _knew_ Blasius would show up at Lux and said nothing to me?" Lucifer growled while pointing the dagger blade in her direction.

"I was referring to your usual distractions," she told him looking him directly in the eyes before dropping her gaze to the tip of the blade. Given the tone of his voice and origin of the knife, she was not about to take a chance of grabbing it out of his hand. "Blasius…was at Lux?"

"Is that all you have to say about the matter?" he asked and placed the dagger on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Um…sorry," Oriel replied half-heartedly and shrugged as best she could while keeping the towel in place.

"He thought I had you at Lux waiting to be handed over to him," he explained to her.

"Why would he think that?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

"Since Blasius materialized at Lux he assumed you were there," Lucifer said matter-of-factly.

"Not exactly how it works, but close enough," Oriel said quietly.

"Why were you dreaming of Lux?" Lucifer inquired looking intently at her.

"I dream of many things. I don't remember any of it this time. I awoke knowing he was alive somewhere, that is all," she replied quickly. It was the truth. Oriel had spent a good amount of time that morning trying to recall any bit of the dream in vain. "So, are you going to help him find me?"

"I sent him on his way. I am retired, remember?" the devil said. Lucifer did not go on to explain how he almost killed Blasius before tossing the man out of Lux.

"You mention it so often, it's hard to forget," she said sarcastically. Instead of receiving a swift comeback, Oriel watched the intensity of his gaze deepen and saw an added rare look of concern cross his face. "What?" the fae asked.

"Punishment has not changed him and now that Blasius is back on earth he is worse. Much worse. He is looking forward to exacting revenge on you with an intensity rarely seen," Lucifer told her.

"I did dispatch him to Hell with his own knife. I hardly expect a thank you," she replied.

"Oriel, you need to take this seriously," he implored.

"I have been very serious about this since the beginning. What's changed your mind all of a sudden?" the fae answered. "Surely it wasn't your conversation with Blasius; you've known his feelings towards me since his first day in Hell."

"I took some time to think over a few things last night," Lucifer replied cryptically. Oriel was now peering at him with intense scrutiny. He did not tell her that prior to Blasius' arrival, Michael had been at Lux to discuss her wellbeing.

Oriel was certain that there had to be more behind the change of attitude than Lucifer giving it some thought. She also knew it would be a fruitless endeavor to press him for more information when he wasn't ready to give it. "I'm sure Blasius is looking for me already. Even if you aren't helping him, others will. He will find me soon enough."

"What will you do in the meantime?" Lucifer inquired.

"I will be leaving here," Oriel told him. As Lucifer opened his mouth to protest, she silenced him with a harsh look and a finger on his lips. "We both know he will search outside the city first, and that's where I will be. I'm not playing hide-and-seek. Plus, there is less chance of a human getting caught in the crossfire this way."

"Humans getting hurt. _That_ is your concern?" Lucifer said with derision.

"One of them. We are not having this discussion; you are well aware of my feelings on the subject," she said and turned away from him.

"I gave you the dagger. What if Blasius has been given a similar weapon?" he probed.

"Then I hope that I really am as strong as you think," she replied somberly.

"I almost killed him last night," Lucifer finally told her as he stood up. "For a moment, I thought he wanted me to."

His words caused Oriel to turn around. She looked at Lucifer and said, "He probably did. He's been led to believe that he's immortal now. The player hasn't realized that he's the one who has been played and he is as mortal as he ever was."

"I should have shown him the error of his thinking," Lucifer replied, his anger returning.

"Your brother hopes you will do just that. Never cross that line, Lucifer – not for _anyone_ ," Oriel told him with particular emphasis on the last word. Long ago, he had answered all her questions on the "rules" set up for angels. Killing a human, even for the best of intentions, would result in the angel's demise – even if that angel happened to be his father's favorite.

Lucifer understood what she had left unspoken. She would not be – directly or indirectly – responsible for the devil's end. " _You_ will keep yourself safe," he directed her.

"From your mouth to God's ears," she said with a smile.

"Those words may have the very opposite effect of the one you are hoping for," the devil told her.

"I guess I'll find out how much weight being the favorite pulls," she said as she let the towel drop. "On the off chance I don't come back, I'd like my last thought of you be something other than this conversation. Or do you have somewhere else you need to be?"

"I think therapy can wait," Lucifer said and tossed his jacket onto a chair. "Speaking of…I have been working on putting myself in other's shoes. How do you feel about role playing?"


	18. Chapter 18

It had been days since Oriel had left the villa and Lucifer had heard nothing from her. She had hidden herself well; even when he attempted to track her using their binding it led nowhere. It was as if she had dropped off the face of the earth. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have thought twice about the silence; they had gone months without seeing or speaking to each other on numerous occasions throughout the centuries. This time however, there were extenuating circumstances that caused Lucifer to be uncharacteristically concerned and troubled. Oriel was certain Amenadiel had played a significant role in bringing Blasius back to earth and even Michael, who rarely got involved in anything, had taken the time to come to Lux to speak with his devilish brother. Two angels showing interest in the situation didn't bode well and Lucifer also knew that Oriel's lack of sleep had left her unusually prone to letting her guard down which could lead to trouble.

"Is everything okay?" Chloe asked Lucifer as they walked away from the latest crime scene she had been assigned. He had been surprisingly quiet all morning. When Lucifer did respond to her questions or comments his replies were limited to a few words.

"I am fine. Why?" Lucifer replied off-handedly. He barely looked over at the detective as he answered and was clearly lost in thought.

"You're here but your mind is somewhere else," the detective answered and gestured in the air with her hand.

"Lux does not run itself you know," Lucifer pointed out and absently pulled on his cuffs and straightened his shirt collar. He did not want to get into what was troubling him with anyone.

"Making sure there are enough half-naked women around must be exhausting for you," Chloe replied sarcastically before inquiring, "How's Oriel?"

"Oriel is taking care of a personal matter," Lucifer said with the hopes of ending the detective's line of questioning before it started.

"You don't know where she is again, do you?" the detective challenged with a smirk on her face.

"Her exact location? No," he begrudgingly admitted. "But I do know what she is doing."

"You may know but you don't like it and that's what got you all upset," Chloe guessed as she opened the door to her car and got in. "Why are men all about independent women until the woman in question gets all independent?"

"I am all for independent thinking and actions for _everyone_. I am not your typical man in case you haven't noticed," he told her and sat down in the passenger seat.

"Uh-huh. If you're so different, why can't you admit that you care and are concerned about her?" Chloe asked and started the car.

"I…well…," Lucifer stammered. He was certain that stating he was the devil would not be accepted as a valid reason by the detective.

"This is not a game, Lucifer," Chloe said in return. "I need to have your full focus when you are here. As it stands now, your attention is elsewhere and that could put both of us in danger. I won't have that. If you intend to keep working with me, tell me what's going on. I don't need – or want – the details, but maybe I can help."

Lucifer exhaled loudly and glared at Chloe from where he sat. He wanted to keep working with the detective but at the same time he knew that she would not believe the truth if he were to tell her the whole story. "Oriel told you her nightmares scared her because they were becoming real?" he asked and watched Chloe nod. "Well, Oriel's nightmare has become real and she has gone to take care of it."

"Become real? Take care of it?" Chloe repeated and looked at him dubiously. "What does that mean?" To the detective, it sounded like Lucifer meant Oriel's dream had literally taken form and the fae intended to kill it.

"It means exactly what you think it means detective," Lucifer stated. "Oriel intends to send him back where he belongs."

"Which is?" Chloe inquired.

"Hell," the devil said point blank.

"You realize that you just told a police officer that Oriel is going to hurt or possibly kill someone," Chloe said to Lucifer in the hopes of further clarifying what she had heard.

"Technically, I said no such thing," he said with a wicked grin. "You jumped to your own conclusion. Put out an APB if you must, but please warn them that Oriel is quite a handful when she's angry."

"This isn't a joke, Lucifer," she replied seriously.

"Neither is dealing with Oriel when she is mad – believe me," he answered.

Chloe looked at him unsure whether he had been serious the entire time or was just trying to be amusing. She changed her course of questioning hoping to throw him off guard and get a direct answer, "You know exactly what those nightmares are and what happened to her, don't you?" the detective asked.

"I do," Lucifer said shortly and looked out the front windshield of the car. It was clear that he was not about to go into any details.

"And?" she demanded deciding to press her luck.

"And I need to get back to Lux now," he replied still staring straight ahead effectively ending the conversation.

"Any word?" Chloe asked as she walked into Lucifer's penthouse apartment later that day. It was early evening and the only people she found downstairs at the club were Maze, who gave her a dismissive glance as she passed by, and one or two dancers. Despite her best efforts to remain impartial and be the voice of reason, as the day wore on the detective found that she was now concerned about Oriel's silence too.

Lucifer stood near the bar. He had just finished pouring himself a drink and quickly looked up from the book in front of him. It was the same one that Oriel had been reading a few days ago when she was there; he had found it on an end table. As the detective approached, he snapped the book shut. "No," he said, "Then again, I really was not expecting to. Did you have better luck with your APB, detective?"

"You're always saying that you're the devil. Why don't you use whatever magical powers you have to find her?" Chloe asked angrily. Lucifer's seeming ambivalence towards the situation had finally got the better of her. "Oriel said you can always find her."

"Do you think I haven't tried?" Lucifer said. His demeanor was remarkably calm as he walked towards the balcony glass in hand. Before following him, Chloe glanced at the book from across the bar. The cover looked old and well-worn. She could barely make out the title " _Heptameron_ " on it. Chloe made a mental note to Google it later that night when she was home.

"I don't know. Have you?" she shot back at him.

Lucifer looked at her with an expression caught somewhere between frustration and disbelief. "The same way I kept the instance of my being shot from her, Oriel is keeping herself from me now – and she is much better at it. She is trying to keep me safe," he admitted.

"Oriel is trying to keep you safe? From what? You asked me to shoot you," the detective reminded him.

"Yes, you shot me and _I bled_. And then there is the matter of whatever has been following me," he snapped at her harshly after a long exhale. Lucifer's tone softened as he explained, "Oriel tends to consider every possibility she can think of and err on the side of caution. In case I am more mortal than I believe, she would prefer that I not die."

"I thought you said the vila was here," Blasius muttered to Ephialtes as they walked aimlessly through the underbrush.

"That is what I was told," the demon replied as he peered into the foliage in the hopes of seeing something.

"And you believe it?" Blasius asked with a sideway glance.

"Of course. An angel wouldn't lie," Ephialtes said.

"An angel?" Blasius laughed. "I thought they were all about good deeds, not assisting demons and enabling the death of an vila."

"This one is still bitter over the aos sí not taking a side in Lucifer's fall from grace, I guess," Ephialtes guessed.

"I saw Lucifer when I first returned. Even spoke to him," Blasius said. Up until that time, he had kept his conversation with the devil to himself.

"How is the Lord of Hell? Did he tell you when he plans on returning to the underworld?" the demon inquired.

"I'm here – not in Hell, so what do I care?" Blasius declared callously. "He would not help me find Oriel."

"Did you really think he would?" Ephialtes scoffed. The demon knew full well that the devil placed his own needs above all others.

"Lucifer seemed very interested in learning all about the vila when I first arrived in Hell," Blasius explained.

"He was probably hoping she was a demon of some sort. I'm sure once Lucifer heard that she was aos sí his interested vanished," Ephialtes replied and he curled his lip in disgust. "They want nothing to do with him – or anyone else for that matter."

"Because of that he tossed me out of the place he has for humans to gather and dance? A nightclub he called it," Blasius said. "I thought he was going to kill me when I suggested Oriel deserved what I intend to do."

"Kill you? But his powers…I was told they were diminishing and he was turning mortal with his stay here," the demon said thoughtfully.

"He had me up by the neck with one hand. Does this look like he is weakened?" Blasius said and pointed to his neck which bore red marks where Lucifer's hand had been.

Unbeknownst to the demon and his companion, they were being watched and eavesdropped on. Oriel was not far off leaning against the trunk of a huge redwood listening to their conversation as they walked. As she heard their words, she silently laughed. Oriel knew she could've killed Blasius many times over in the time she had spent watching, but it was not in her nature to attack without provocation. Whether she would try to provoke him was an entirely different matter.

"The vila is not here," muttered Blasius. "Finding her will take forever."

"Thank the divine being of your choice that I don't have the patience to wait for that," Oriel said coming out from behind the tree trunk. She had left her hair unbound and it caught the light that filtered through the trees giving it the appearance of a fire from afar. Although Oriel did her best to look and sound nonchalant and casual, she had carefully secreted the dagger Lucifer had given her into the back waistband of her pants in case she needed it.

Blasius and Ephialtes turned their heads simultaneously to look in her direction. Blasius' eyes grew wide as he looked at her while Ephialtes' lips curled in a snarl at seeing the rogue fae again. "Oriel?" Blasius asked.

"Don't you recognize me? Well, I was quite young last you saw me – not even eighteen. I hope I'm not showing my age too much," she replied.

"You have not changed much at all and your hair marks you, as always," Blasius said and continued to gape at her while Ephialtes looked on in silence.

"And here I've always thought it was my eyes that made me special. Live and learn, I guess," Oriel replied with shrug ignoring Blasius' reaction to her appearance. Like all aos sí, she was a late bloomer and had not come into her own until years after she had dispatched him to Hell.

"I've been waiting for days," Oriel said. Even with her hidden weapon, she kept her distance from the pair and remained where she was. "You seem to have lost what little tracking skills you had."

"Humans are easier to track than a vila," the man stated.

"Your kind do tend to leave trails, and in your case Blasius, a particular stench," she agreed.

"You impudent…," Blasius said loudly as Ephialtes laughed.

"That is your vila?" Ephialtes cut in and Blasius nodded in return. "She is the one I spoke to earlier. You did not reveal that you are the rogue fae."

"You should ask whom you are speaking with before running your mouth," Oriel told the demon and smiled as Ephialtes bared his teeth at her. "Seems your angel didn't give you all the information. How was Hell, Blasius? Did you enjoy it?"

"I should've killed you when I first found you, like I did that witch and the man who protected you," Blasius told her, his face furious. Oriel inwardly recoiled at the words. The pain of losing the only parents she had known still stung deeply but she was determined not to let their murderer and a troublesome demon find that out.

"If you had, you would've missed all the spoils from robbing and looting," she replied with an edge in her voice and cold eyes. "And let's not forget passing me around to your friends when I was a bit less gangly. You gained a few coins from that, too."

"You are the one they talk about, aren't you?" Ephialtes interjected before Blasius could respond to Oriel.

"I'm not sure I know what you're referring to?" Oriel said innocently. She was very cognizant of all the dialogue that surrounded her as it had been occurring for centuries. With the exception of Michael and a few of the other aos sí, no one directly asked her about it.

"You are the fae who has the binding with Lucifer, aren't you?" Ephialtes demanded of Oriel before turning to Blasius. "And you wonder why he won't help you – she is his consort."

"You just said that her kind do not want anything to do with Lucifer," Blasius said with a puzzled look on his face.

"This one does not follow their rules. She ventures out among humans and even has lived among them. I'm telling you she is bound to the devil," the demon voiced emphatically as he pointed to Oriel who had taken to leaning against the tree trunk.

"Lucifer himself has told you this?" Blasius asked. He stared at Oriel trying to discern some sort of reaction on her face. She stared back at him and remained resting against the tree with arms crossed appearing totally unmoved by the conversation.

"No. I've never asked him directly; no one has," Ephialtes reluctantly admitted. "It is just rumors, but it is accepted as fact."

"What say you Oriel?" Blasius asked.

"If the Morning Star neither confirms or denies the rumors, why should I?" she countered as she stood upright. Oriel's countenance remained impassive and she met Blasius' gaze with her own icy stare.

"Oriel," Blasius growled angrily and glowered at her.

"That may have worked with a frightened child but I'm not scared of you any longer. The tables have turned Blasius and you should be frightened now," she replied and stirred up a strong breeze to blast him and the demon.

It was a calm day with no wind at all and Oriel's former tormentor took an involuntary step backwards as the gust hit him in the face. He then quickly regained his composure and bravado. Blasius believed that he was now immortal and thought that put him on somewhat equal grounds with Oriel. "You cannot hurt me," Blasius told her.

"Do you really want to find out if that is true?" Oriel answered her eyes gleaming brightly with unearthly light. She turned to look at Ephialtes. "You didn't tell him."

"Tell me what?" Blasius asked and looked back and forth between "his" vila and the demon.

"You may be back on earth but you are far from immortal. He does not have that power," Oriel stated.

"Why should I believe you?" Blasius asked her boldly.

"Because I killed you once when I was much younger and much weaker. I am giving you a chance to walk away now and live out whatever life you may have left," she replied in a strong voice.

"But the angel," Blasius began to say.

"The angel doesn't have the power to grant immortality either. Only the Creator does. Ask him?" Oriel said with a derisive nod towards Ephialtes.

"Well?" Blasius demanded when Ephialtes remained silent.

"She is correct; I do not have the power to grant that. As for the angel, I am not fully aware of what he can or cannot do," Ephialtes finally admitted.

Blasius turned his attention back to Oriel. She was wearing a smug look on her face and slowly shook her head. "Demons lie. Didn't you learn anything in Hell?" she inquired. "If you agree to walk away _and_ leave me be, I am willing to let you live out the rest of your days."

"I don't take orders from a vila," he angrily answered. As Blasius tried to decide, he looked over at Ephialtes. "I want to talk to your angel."

"I don't know if that is possible. He has always found me," Ephialtes said quietly.

"You will call him and I will talk to him. Then I will let you know what I have decided Oriel," Blasius declared.

"You have one day. If you don't return and let me know one way or the other, I will hunt you down and kill you," she said solemnly. "You lost your chance at mercy…as did you Ephialtes."

"Do you think that was the best decision?" The question came from behind Oriel after Ephialtes and Blasius had disappeared back into the forest. She turned to see Michael standing there. His face showed both concern and a touch of surprise. "Amenadiel is sure to speak with them and probably figure out a way to aid Blasius."

"I know, but there are lines I won't cross," Oriel told the angel.

"Such as?" Michael asked.

"I will not kill without reason. Blasius standing in front of me – although annoying – is not quite provocation enough," she answered.

"I see my brother hasn't totally corrupted you," Michael teased.

"Lucifer has never killed any human. He doesn't even punish them without justification," she said with certainty. "You know that as well as I do."

"Oriel, have you thought this through? If Amenadiel assists Blasius in his endeavor, you could end up seriously hurt or even dead," the angel said.

"I can hold my own," she assured him silently touched by his concern for her well-being. She reached behind her back with one hand and drew the dagger out. Oriel showed it to Michael. "Nothing can survive this I'm told, not even you."

The angel reached for the hilt of the blade. Oriel quickly pulled it away and carefully tucked it back where it was originally hidden. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Depends upon what you think it is," she laughed but did not reveal the weapon's origin. Oriel then said seriously, "I didn't let Blasius win the first time around and I'm not about to let him win now. As you heard, my compassion is short lived."

"What now?" Lucifer enunciated as the world around him seemed to come to a halt. He was sitting in a booth at Lux, a few glasses filled with whiskey on the table in front of him as he watched the crowd. He turned to his brother with an irritated look on his face. The angel stood a few feet away unconcerned by the devil's displeasure.

"A hell-forged dagger. Very shrewd; I never would have thought of that. Though, if its original owner catches her with it, your actual involvement may be needed in the melee that will follow," Michael said with a pointed look at the devil.

"Why? The blade will serve the purpose in any battle," Lucifer inquired flippantly with raised eyebrows. The genuine concern he felt for Oriel was overridden by the displeasure of his angelic brother's sudden reappearance.

"What did the devil ask in return for this rather advantageous weapon?" the angel asked intently. Upon hearing the question, the devil looked at his brother making no attempt to hide the frustration he was feeling.

"It was a gift," Lucifer told him succinctly.

"Sometimes I almost understand Father's patience and understanding with you," Michael mused as the devil stared at him intently.

"You, she will see. Me, she hides from. I guess we know whose company Oriel truly prefers," Lucifer said sharply, his internal dialogue spilling out.

"And then you open your mouth," Michael said shaking his head. He found himself slightly amused by Lucifer at that moment, but not wanting to start a fight he did not say it aloud. During his time on Earth, Lucifer seemed to have developed a bit of a jealous streak concerning the fae, in addition to the ability to bleed. " _She_ has always been your staunchest defender."

"And biggest critic," the devil shot back quickly.

"You have always needed one; it keeps you grounded," his brother told him good-naturedly. "I hope you actually listen when she speaks."

"Is it over then?" Lucifer asked diverting the topic of conversation away from himself.

"When it is, she will show herself or your binding will be severed. Either will be unmistakable," Michael told him solemnly. Any prior jocularity he had been feeling disappeared as he said the words. "As it stands now, Oriel gave Blasius a day to think about her offer."

Lucifer exhaled loudly in disgust. "She could have ended it easily. Ephialtes would not have interfered."

"You knew that Oriel wouldn't do that. That is why you gave her the dagger," the angel replied with a knowing glance.


	19. Chapter 19

"You should take the fae's offer. Live out your life. Do whatever you want – just leave her alone. What's wrong with that?" Ephialtes told Blasius as they walked along in the forest.

"I will not leave her alone. Not after what she did to me," Blasius replied angrily.

"She is not the same "vila" you captured," the demon said earnestly, trying to reason with the man.

"I should have known a demon would side with a demon," Blasius exclaimed and stopped in his tracks.

"I am pointing out what you refuse to see," Ephialtes hissed. The demon was not at all happy to be put into the same category with the aos sí, nor was he pleased with the human's refusal to see the obvious. "Oriel is no longer that child you captured; she has met other aos sí and learned the extent of her powers. Beyond that, she is probably in league with the devil. Did you consider the consequences should he come to her aid?"

"I intend to find out just how well Oriel knows Lucifer," Blasius assured the demon. "Call your angel."

"But…," Ephialtes began. The demon was sure that the angel in question would not be happy to be bothered.

"Call him!" the man said loudly cutting the demon off. Ephialtes did as he was told and seconds later the sound of wings could be heard nearby.

"I thought we were done. You got what you wanted," Amenadiel growled as he looked down at the demon. The anger in the angel's voice was evident and the demon did his best to hide the trembling.

"The human wished to talk to you," Ephialtes replied hesitantly in explanation.

The angel looked at Blasius with a mix of condescension and irritation, "So, you're the human who wants revenge against an aos sí?"

"The aos sí – as you call her – killed me," Blasius stated insolently. Despite never seeing an angel before and at a definite height and power disadvantage, Blasius did not back away or show any deference to Amenadiel.

"I know what she did," Amenadiel said dismissively. "What do you want?"

"The demon also tells me that Oriel is the devil's consort," the man added and cocked his head while waiting for the angel's reply.

"This is why you summoned me here, Ephialtes? To talk about Lucifer's booty calls?" Amenadiel asked the demon with a stern look. The angel then focused back on Blasius and told him tersely, "Oriel is very well acquainted with my brother."

"And she has bound herself to him?" Blasius inquired further as Amenadiel turned away. Blasius knew that for a being like his vila their word was their bond and a promise would not be broken. Even as a child, Oriel had been very careful with her words and would not make an oath to even the simplest thing he had asked of her.

"Yes," the angel declared and watched rage flare on the man's face. "Why do you care about her relationship with my brother? I thought you only wanted revenge."

"I do," Blasius assured him. "I don't want to have to deal with Lucifer showing up to defend one of his own."

"He won't. Even here, the devil only worries about his own well-being," Amenadiel laughed.

"Good," Blasius said. He was certain that his vila hadn't counted on being abandoned by Lucifer. "One more thing, why I am not immortal as I was told?"

"I didn't ever tell you that you were," the angel stated unsympathetically. "If the demon led you to believe that, take it up with him." As all eyes turned to Ephialtes who lowered his head slightly as he realized the deception had been discovered.

"Being mortal, how can I best her in a fight? Oriel could kill me in an instant," Blasius demanded.

"You should've thought of that before you decided that you needed to be back on Earth," Amenadiel told him with a smirk.

"You must know something that can hurt her," Blasius demanded.

"I might," the angel admitted and tried to block any thoughts of the potential ramifications of what he was about to do out of his head. Amenadiel's argument – as always – was with his brother and not Oriel. However, the fae was always ready to play devil's advocate even with higher beings like himself. In the end, as far as Amenadiel was concerned Lucifer needed to go back to Hell no matter the consequences or who suffered.

Blasius laughed. "Then help me. To exact my revenge, I need something that can severely injure her at the very least."

Amenadiel paused for a moment or two and just looked at the man before reaching into a pocket. He pulled out a curved blade and handed it over. The angel had convinced Maze to part with the weapon by telling her that it would help get Lucifer back to Hell sooner rather than later.

"This is more than capable of hurting her," the angel told Blasius.

Blasius carefully turned over the blade in his hands. "Are you certain?"

"If you don't want it, I will take it back," Amenadiel said.

"No! I will keep it," Blasius told the angel as Ephialtes observed the interaction warily. While the human and angel were talking, the demon was contemplating the outcome of what was being set in motion. Ephialtes could easily see a war developing between aos sí and the angel with the blame quite possibly being put on him. The demon wanted no part of it.

As soon as the human decided to keep the weapon, Amenadiel left Blasius and Ephialtes without another word. The demon took this opportunity to announce his decision.

"I am done with this. I got what I wanted. This will not end well for you…or for the angel," the demon said looking up at Blasius.

"What do you mean?" Blasius questioned and brandished the knife at the creature. "I can now hurt Oriel."

"Yes, and should you kill her you will have to deal with the aos sí afterwards – maybe Lucifer, too. Both will leave more than a red mark on your neck," Ephialtes told him.

"You have said the aos sí rarely leave their land and that Oriel does not follow their rules. Why would they care? Lucifer only cares for himself; I have seen that personally," Blasius declared and self-consciously rubbed his neck.

"The fae are fiercely loyal and take care of their own. They will avenge her death," the demon explained. "If Lucifer doesn't come to her aid directly, he will not be happy to learn she is gone. She is not one of his playthings in Hell. I will not be further involved in this."

"Fine; run away in fear. But first bring me food and some other things I will need," Blasius told Ephialtes. In addition to enough food for that night and the next morning, he asked the demon to bring him four iron stakes.

####

"What is your decision?" Oriel asked as she jumped down from a tree branch where she had been watching for Blasius' approach. Knowing Blasius as well as she did, Oriel had prepared and dressed herself for a fight. She had her hair tightly braided to keep it out of the way and had the Hell-forged dagger Lucifer gifted her hidden inside one of the high boots she was wearing.

"You will not be rid of me so easily. I have a score to settle with you," Blasius snarled after his breathing slowed. The fae had startled him with her drop to the forest floor.

"So be it," she told him. It was the answer she had expected. "Where's the demon?"

"Some demon. He was afraid of the consequences and returned to Hell," Blasius replied with a sneer.

"At least one of you has some sense," Oriel said matter-of-factly as she deliberately made her eyes glow bright.

"What guarantee do I have that you will fight fair?" he asked and stared at her. The man watched her carefully and slowly came to the realization that the demon was right about Oriel. She was now far removed from the scared, young otherworldly creature he had captured over one thousand years ago. "None of your appearing and disappearing, magical spells, and all that."

"I give you my word," she answered with a swift nod.

"That is not enough," Blasius told her as he shook his head.

"It _is_ enough," Oriel argued loudly. "You know very well that for my kind promises are binding."

"As is this iron," Blasius said and went about placing four stakes in the clearing at north, south, east and west. "You will not be able leave the bounds of the area."

Oriel laughed as he put the last stake in the ground. Iron only had power and could hurt her if she allowed it. Lucifer had proved to Oriel years ago that it was her own belief that caused the iron to harm her. "I gave you my word I would fight fair; I could've struck you down innumerable times already if I had wanted to," she told him.

"Maybe you are not as strong as you want me to believe. Maybe you are waiting for Lucifer to save you. After all, you are the devil's whore," Blasius said to her caustically.

"If you are hoping to make me cry with your words, you're going to have to do better than that," she answered indifferently and looked towards the tree tops.

"You are far from special, Oriel; Lucifer beds any that catch his eye," he replied derisively.

"I know. Sometimes he even lets me choose for him," the fae told him with a cheeky tone to her voice. Her words had the effect she had wanted and Oriel watched Blasius' expression change.

"Delay all you want; the devil won't come to your aid, even if you are bound to him," he told her with a disgusted look on his face.

"I wouldn't accept Lucifer's assistance if he were standing next to me," Oriel said calmly. "Unlike you, I don't make deals with demons – or the devil."

"When I get finished with you, you will be begging for the devil to help you," Blasius said angrily and quickly pulled out the curved blade. He darted in and slashed at Oriel.

Oriel dodged sideways to avoid the knife but was caught off guard and had not moved quick enough. The blade cut her left arm deeply above the elbow leaving a bloody trail a few inches long. As the razor-sharp edge sliced her skin an intense, searing pain ripped through her and caused her to cry out. Oriel immediately knew it was no man-made weapon Blasius was wielding. The pain was extreme and strong enough to break through her power and the wards she had carefully crafted to keep her presence hidden.

Oriel involuntary reached for her arm and stumbled backwards a few steps. Breathing heavily, she tried to ignore the severe burning sensation in her arm and regain her composure. She quickly wiped her bloody hand on her pants and pulled the dagger Lucifer had given her out of her right boot.

"Bastard!" Oriel cursed loudly her eyes flashing as she brandished the knife in Blasius' direction.

"Take away the advantages and the vila can be hurt – no matter how her power has grown over time," he harassed her.

Blasius lunged at Oriel with his knife again, but this time she was ready for him. Grimacing with the movement, she blocked his jab with her injured arm and managed to cut him with her own dagger. He jumped backwards as he felt the pain.

"Tell me, does it burn like hellfire?" Oriel asked and crouched low to the ground preparing for the next attack. "You do have first-hand experience."

"I thought you didn't make deals with the devil," Blasius said in between panting breaths.

"I don't. It was a gift," she replied with a stony stare. Oriel then added brazenly, "I _am_ a little special."

Blasius temper got the better of him and he threw the curved blade at Oriel. She dodged as it flew by her right ear and landed on the ground behind her. The man then ran at her and knocked her off her feet. As they struggled, he forcefully jabbed his knee into her injured arm and managed to pin her right wrist to the ground. Blasius then took the opportunity to punch Oriel in the jaw. The combination of blows coupled with the pain caused her to lose her grip on the dagger and Blasius made a grab for it. As he did, Oriel executed a strategically placed kick. Unlike the night with Lucifer, this time she didn't miss. Oriel pushed a groaning Blasius off her and quickly scrambled away snatching the curved blade. She was near the edge of the clearing where he had planted an iron stake and Blasius managed a laugh thinking he had trapped her.

"You can't cross the threshold of the iron," he said and crawled towards the dagger determined to get it.

Oriel said nothing but glared in his direction. She took a deliberate step backwards beyond the invisible line the stakes made and then grabbed the piece of iron out of the ground. Oriel then flung it straight at Blasius. It hit him in the shoulder knocking him back and away from the dagger. "Old wives' tale," she stated.

Oriel then looked at the weapon that she held in her hand; she had never used a curved blade before. The fae transferred it to her dominant hand, took aim, and threw it hard at Blasius. It hit him in the upper thigh. The man howled in pain and clawed at the weapon pulling it out. He rolled on the ground his leg bleeding profusely and tried to crawl towards her.

Oriel remained where she was and watched him coldly. "For all his issues and idiosyncrasies, Lucifer will always be a better creature than you," she said. "Think about that for eternity."

After Blasius drew his final breath, Oriel picked up the curved blade that had fallen from his hands. After taking some time to carefully examine it, she tucked into a pocket on her pants. She then secreted the dagger back into her boot. Oriel then sunk down on her knees on the forest floor as the impact of what had just occurred hit her. Her arm was still bleeding and burning and her body shook with silent sobs.

Seconds later, Oriel wiped the tears from her cheeks with both hands, groaning as she moved her injured arm. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, fighting to quell the tears as she told herself this was not the time or place for a breakdown.

#####

"Do you always read about demons in your spare time?" Chloe as Lucifer emerged from his car.

"I generally prefer classic literature. If you are referring to the _Heptameron,_ Oriel was perusing it the last time she visited," he told her.

"Seems like a strange choice of reading," the detective replied.

"It's surprisingly accurate," Lucifer informed her and received a wide-eyed stare from the cop. He then continued to say almost to himself, "I do wonder how they learned so much."

"Have you heard anything from Oriel?" Chloe asked cautiously.

"Nope," Lucifer said shortly and walked towards the others gathered at the scene.

The duo walked around the crime scene with Chloe pointing out specifics for Lucifer to take note of. For his part, the devil tried to maintain interest in what was happening around him despite a steadily growing concern for Oriel. In the middle of answering one of the detective's more mundane inquiries, he felt a searing pain in his chest that emanated outward. Lucifer stopped talking and staggered backwards with a surprised look on his face; he could hear the fae's cry of pain as if she was right there. At that moment not only did Lucifer know exactly where Oriel was but he also felt every bit of the pain Maze's knife had inflicted on her.

Chloe rushed over and held onto his arm trying to steady him. A wall of the dilapidated building propped up Lucifer's other side. "Are you okay?" she asked with a worried look. "Let me call for help."

"I'm fine," he gasped as the pain dulled a bit. The devil could now almost stand without assistance of the wall or the detective, although he was still breathing heavily and was bent over with his hands on his legs.

"You don't look fine," she told him as she observed his shocked expression and pallor to his skin. "I think you're having a heart attack."

"The devil does not have heart attacks," Lucifer stated with a bit of an edge and straightened up.

"Just like the devil doesn't bleed when he's shot?" Chloe retorted. "Let me get someone here."

"I need to go," Lucifer told her. He began walking, gingerly at first, towards his Corvette with the detective following closely after him. The devil got into his car, slammed the door, and left the crime scene without further explanation or even a look in Chloe's direction.

Lucifer started out driving in Oriel's direction before suddenly realizing that it would take hours to get there even if he ignored speed limits. "Bloody hell," he muttered and pulled over to the side of the road. He placed his hands together as he sat in the car and silently, albeit somewhat reluctantly, called on his brother.

"Finally! It's my turn to ask what now?" Michael said smugly as he stood next to the vehicle.

"You know very well what now," Lucifer said petulantly.

"I have much more important things to do than keep track of you and the problems you inadvertently cause," the angel told him. "What do you want Lucifer?"

"Oriel is hurt; I can feel it. Why can't you?" the devil grumbled. "After all, you're Dad's go-to guy and _her_ confidant."

"I don't feel it because I am not bound to her. You are," Michael explained and looked skyward, surprised that his brother hadn't already figured out that fact. "Why should I take you to her?"

"I cannot get there…quickly. If Amenadiel has helped Blasius there is a good chance she will be outmatched and you don't want Oriel to die any more than I do," the devil replied looking his brother directly in the eyes.

"I bet you wish you had your wings right about now?" the angel chided him.

"Stop wasting time and get me there," Lucifer growled angrily.

"That wasn't too awkward," Michael said sarcastically as they arrived in the forest Lucifer had specified. It was eerily quiet as the pair slowly walked towards a small clearing under the canopy of the trees. The devil bent down and pulled an iron stake from the ground on one edge of the clearing. As he stood back up, he saw Blasius' body lying several feet away and walked towards it.

"Stupid human," the devil said and tossed the stake far into the forest. "My brother gave you a second chance and Oriel gifted you a third. And you…you squander it all. May you enjoy Hell again."

"Oriel?" Michael asked as he looked at some blood spattered leaves.

"Is not here," Lucifer replied testily. "Get me back to my car."


	20. Chapter 20

Before leaving the forest, Oriel located some plants that she knew would aid in healing her wound and took them back to the villa. Once at the house, she showered and changed into a sleeveless shift she quickly created. She then took to patching up her arm. Before getting into the shower, Oriel had made a tincture from some of the agrimony leaves and now gently applied a compress of the cooled liquid to the wound. She then crushed a few more leaves, applied them directly to the cut, and then crafted a bandage out of daylight. The injury still burned as if it was on fire but it had stopped bleeding and Oriel knew even if it didn't help, the plant wouldn't make things any worse. She then left the villa knowing that Lucifer would come looking for her there first and she wasn't ready to speak with him just yet.

The Corvette came to screeching halt outside the villa and Lucifer quickly went inside to look for Oriel. He found the house empty, aside from her bloodied, torn shirt and a pair of black pants left in a pile on the bathroom floor. He picked them up and proceeded to go out the patio doors and see if she was outside.

Shortly after Lucifer had entered the house, Chloe arrived and parked next to Lucifer's Corvette. She had been concerned about him since he abruptly left the crime scene and the detective had guessed that the rapid departure had something to do with Oriel. Aside from Lux, this was the only place she knew of to look for both of them. Knowing Oriel's aversion to the nightclub, the detective chose the villa.

"Looks like she's not here," Chloe told Lucifer as he walked back inside from the patio.

"She was," he answered and held up the shirt and pants Oriel had left behind.

"She couldn't have gone far without clothes," the detective replied with a forced smile.

"She made new ones," he countered and threw the clothing in his hands across the room in frustration.

"Do you think Oriel's okay?" Chloe asked as she stared at the bloodstain on the shirt when it came to rest on the floor. The detective chose to ignore Lucifer's statement about Oriel making new clothes believing he was exaggerating given the circumstances.

"If she was hurt badly she would still be here," the devil muttered.

#####

Later that day, Oriel sat in a corner of the ruins on the Glastonbury Tor. In spite of her best efforts to remain composed over the morning's events, a few tears escaped her eyes and ran down her face. What had transpired with Blasius had caused memories from her past that she had buried long ago to resurface.

The cat that was often her companion sat curled at her feet. It could sense her distress and looked up at Oriel with concern. From a further distance, Michael also observed her unobtrusively. After getting Lucifer back to his car, the angel had returned to the forest and used his powers to ensure Blasius' body would never be found. His next order of business included assuring himself of Oriel's well-being with his own eyes. Bits of rumors had already started flying between the otherworldly beings, some saying the fae was seriously injured.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself for the worst, Oriel carefully peeled the bandage back and removed the underlying leaves from her arm. Even in the fading light of the afternoon making it more difficult to see, Michael drew back slightly in shock when he viewed the wound on her arm. The cut and the area surrounding were both still bright red, but Oriel was relieved to see that the agrimony had done its job and her arm looked much better than it had just a few hours before. With her innate healing ability, the cut had already started to close although the burning sensation remained. Even though she knew aos sí who could easily heal the wound and leave no trace of it, Oriel had chosen to show no one. Although it was rarely vocalized, the others were not pleased with her relationship with the devil or his angelic brothers. Most of them had been present at Lucifer's first act of rebellion and the resulting melee. They were now very content to have no contact with any of the celestial beings. Asking an aos sí to heal an injury caused by even the indirect actions of angel or devil would have resulted in Oriel receiving a lecture from the elder fae at the very least.

Oriel then picked up the curved blade from the ground next to her where she had placed it when she sat down. As the angel watched, she turned it over a few times in her hands seeming to carefully study the surface. It took him a few seconds to realize that this was not the same weapon that she had shown him a day ago. Oriel's expression was troubled as she stared at the weapon.

#####

"I looked for you at the villa," Lucifer said from behind the bar in his penthouse. It was early morning and Oriel had suddenly appeared in the middle of the room.

"I went home," Oriel replied shortly with no further explanation as she walked over to the bar.

When he looked up from pouring a drink, it was evident to Lucifer that Oriel was unsettled and not herself. She had been tapping her fingers against the bar incessantly since her sudden arrival and was now avoiding making eye contact with him which was rare. He placed his hand atop of hers to stop the drumming and studied the fae closely. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered and pulled her hand away. Oriel decided her statement was mostly true as her gaze remained focused on the glass he set down on the bar. She had purposely worn a long-sleeved black top that covered the wound on her arm not wanting to draw attention to her injury. Being intimately familiar with the devil's temperament, Oriel knew he would not understand her decision to not have the wound healed immediately. Clothing, however, couldn't cover the bruise on her jaw and in the end Oriel decided to not even try to hide it with a bit of magic.

"You left your clothes behind," he reminded her. "Between the bloodstains and the bruise on your face I am led to think otherwise."

"He landed a few blows," she said with a shrug and a quick glance at the devil.

"So did you. I was in the forest as well," Lucifer told her.

"I did what I had to do…again," she said quietly and averted her face and eyes from his intense scrutiny. Lucifer, who knew exactly how Oriel had been treated by Blasius, never understood the fae's struggle with her actions relating to that particular human. As far as the devil was concerned, Oriel was justified and the man got what he deserved.

Lucifer gently directed her gaze back to his with a finger under her chin. "And he will be punished again," the devil replied.

"I'm glad you're sure of that. I'm more inclined to believe it may be my own version of Hell. A cycle that I have to repeat until the outcome changes, which it seems could come sooner rather than later," Oriel said morosely. She placed Maze's curved knife on the bar and pushed it towards him.

"Where did you get this?" Lucifer asked as he instantly recognized the weapon as belonging to his demon bartender.

Oriel looked directly at Lucifer as she answered, "Blasius had it, which leads us to the better question of how he got it."

"I did _not_ give it to him if that's what you're thinking," he said. That very thought had crossed her mind more than once and was partially responsible for her uneasiness. It had even intruded on her thoughts again as she stood at the bar speaking with the devil face to face. Although Oriel quickly dismissed the idea each time, she knew it would not be beyond Lucifer to set up an evenly matched fight just to see who won.

"Maybe it is a forgery," the devil then suggested.

"It's not. My arm still burns like the hell fire it was forged in," she explained to him, revealing the nature of her injury. Lucifer swiftly moved his eyes over both Oriel's arms and shoulders but could not discern which side was wounded.

"Perhaps Blasius found it while he was wandering downstairs," he said absently as he studied her arms more intensely looking for a sign of injury.

"Mazikeen would not leave this lying around in a room full of drunk humans," Oriel said as she pointed to the blade drawing his attention back to it and off herself. "And I'm sure Blasius was too confused wondering where he was at that moment to go searching around for a weapon."

"Surely, you don't think she gave it to him?" Lucifer asked her.

"No. I think she gave it to your brother," Oriel answered matter-of-factly. Lucifer verifying that he had not given Blasius the weapon had answered the question that troubled her most, so she boldly stated her thoughts on the matter.

"Maze would not deal with my brother and Amenadiel would definitely not deal with a demon," the devil stated firmly.

"Amenadiel has thrown himself in with Ephialtes. What's one more demon?" Oriel challenged. "After all, they both want the same thing."

"To kill you?" he questioned in return.

"I don't think the blade was meant for me…at least not originally," she replied hesitantly and waited for his reaction after realizing what she had said.

"How dare you suggest such a thing?" Lucifer asked indignantly guessing where Oriel was headed. "Maze is sworn to protect me."

"A demon is a demon is a demon, even if she warms the devil's bed from time to time," she said impassively.

"Jealous, aren't we?" he countered brashly.

"Don't flatter yourself," Oriel shot back angrily when she saw the smirk on his face. "Unlike you, I'm willing to see the obvious."

"And what is the obvious?" Lucifer asked.

"Amenadiel wants you to go back to Hell. Mazikeen wants you to go back to Hell," Oriel stated. "Both will go to any extent to get you there."

"You're jumping to conclusions after following one of your puerile threads," he told her dismissively.

"I'm sure you have a better idea. _You always do_ ," Oriel said purposely stressing the last three words. She found his presumptuous attitude, both about the situation and her feelings, suddenly infuriating.

"Two actually," Lucifer said proudly. "The situation with Blasius has affected you more than you are willing to admit. You are exhausted mentally and physically and you're making connections that aren't there."

"And the other?" she asked. Oriel wasn't about to challenge his first statement; although she was sure of her belief, she was tired in mind and body.

"You have never liked Maze and how close I've been to her," the devil said plainly.

"The feeling is mutual," the fae replied struggling to keep her voice low when she really wanted to shout. "What's your point?"

"She has never accused you of trying to have me killed," he reasoned.

"Maybe because I haven't!" Oriel almost shouted with glowing eyes. Then, after a short pause, she muttered under her breath, "Yet."

"Yet?" he growled angrily and looked at her for an explanation.

"Sorry, but your stubbornness to acknowledge what's going on around you is exponentially aggravating," Oriel said as a haphazard apology.

"You want to get rid of me," Lucifer muttered seeming to ignore anything else Oriel had said.

"What's gotten into you?" the fae asked passionately. "Why would I want to kill you or get rid of you?"

"Because you have someone else waiting in the wings – or with wings should I say. And I know how you like big wings," the devil told her bitterly. Once again, he was overtaken by a fit of jealousy and once again, he made no attempt to hide it.

Oriel looked at him with amazement as she simultaneously tried to figure out who he was referring to as well as what had caused his bitterness. "Spit it out, Lucifer. Playing coy is not your forte."

"You. My brother," he stated slowly to emphasize his point. Lucifer stared directly at her as he added, "Michael, the one with the very big wings."

"You _are_ joking, right?" she responded taken aback by his suggestion.

"You two are very chummy lately," Lucifer stated angrily.

"If it wasn't for you, your brother wouldn't be speaking to me at all or have you conveniently forgotten that?" Oriel reminded him. "It's a big stretch of your imagination to go from us talking to whatever it is you're thinking."

"Is it?" the devil inquired scornfully. "Now that I am staying here, working with the detective and not totally at your beck and call, you're afraid of being abandoned again. First, left by your parents; then, never acknowledged by aos sí until I tossed you at their doorstep and now…"

"Fear of being abandoned?" Oriel cut Lucifer off before he could finish. She was incensed by his suggestion. "You're a fine one to talk. You, whose own father forbid you from coming home after one difference of opinion and now won't even acknowledge you with a simple hello. And your brothers – they just stood by and watched it happen. At least I have a home to go to with others who speak to me and no siblings trying to kill me."

"Are you sure they really want you there? Maybe they knew all about you all along and were hoping I wouldn't save you," Lucifer replied. Although they had many arguments through the years, this was the first time he had ever brought up her past in this way.

"Maybe you shouldn't have," the fae told him. Although stung by Lucifer's words, Oriel wasn't about to back down. "Then there'd be no one to crash your constant party with a dose of reality."

"I am well aware of reality," he answered succinctly. He then added derisively, "Unlike you I don't need to follow or think of all the possible outcomes."

"You see what you want to see and what suits you at the moment," Oriel said caustically.

"Maze has stood by me all this time and would not betray me," the devil informed her.

"But I would?" she entreated. "I have defended you to everyone – without fail – even when they said I would end up regretting it."

"You defend me?" Lucifer scoffed. "By trying to convince me to return to Hell?"

"You're choosing to ignore the fact that you seem to be the only one who can keep control there," Oriel told him sharply. "Like it or not, Lucifer, your father picked the best angel for the job."

"You dare say that to me?" he said and looked across the bar at her with blazing red eyes.

"Someone needs to," she answered boldly not backing down. "Stop sulking, man up, and do the job you were born to do."

"I should've known better than to get involved with you. You…soulless ginger," the devil muttered. He went to say more but Oriel held her hand up to stop him. She had heard enough.

"I have never been anything but honest with you – even now, my Samael, my fallen angel," Oriel said with a crestfallen look on her face. Even though she had not let it show previously, his words had hurt her deeply. She was now ready to admit defeat and walked towards the elevator.

Oriel was the only one Lucifer allowed to call him by his given name; even so, she used it infrequently and usually did so when she wanted to get his attention. Hearing his name, and to a lesser extent seeing the expression on Oriel's face, instantly jarred him from his anger. The full realization of what he had said to her hit him. Lucifer came out from behind the bar and reached out to stop her from leaving. Oriel gasped and winced in pain as he unknowingly grabbed her injured arm. He quickly let go, his own face filled with surprise; Lucifer had assumed she had someone heal her injuries. "Watch your back, because I won't be any longer," she said a somber look on her face as she held her sore arm close to her body.

She shook her head slightly as a realization hit her as she stepped in the elevator. At that moment, Oriel wasn't sure if she was more disappointed in Lucifer or in herself. She looked at him directly in the eye and said, "You want to know something funny? Even now – my deepest desire is that you not die."

Oriel went down into Lux and found Maze behind the bar. "You couldn't just do as I asked and send your demon back to Hell? Instead you had to keep it here _and_ then help Amenadiel plot against your boss," Oriel asked angrily and looked at the demon with contempt.

"Oriel…," Maze began to say. Hearing the elevator doors open again, her eyes shifted upwards and she saw Lucifer near the top of the stairs. He paused when he saw that Oriel was still in Lux.

"If you don't like it here, why not just leave and have one hell of a good time in the world? Do you really think Lucifer would've stopped you?" the fae asked the demon.

"I…," Maze replied.

"Had to cause trouble," Oriel cut in and finished. She was aware that Lucifer was watching but she did not turn to acknowledge his presence. "Yes, I know; I felt it. First on the beach and then in the forest."

"The forest? What are you talking about?" Maze asked. The bartender had no idea about what had occurred in the forest or that her knife was involved.

"You and Amenadiel can round up every demon you're able and cause all the trouble you want. I'm done, Mazikeen. Drive Lucifer insane. Unleash Hell on Earth. Just leave me out of it!" Oriel told the demon. A smile began to play around Maze's mouth as she realized that Oriel was serious about what she was saying.

Confronting Maze was not the only reason Oriel went down into Lux before leaving. She had sensed that something else was in the building while up in the penthouse arguing with Lucifer. The fae directed her gaze to a corner of the bar and silently mouthed the words to an incantation. Slowly, a black mist began to take bodily shape and a pair of red eyes appeared. A few seconds later, Oriel viewed the pale skin, pointed ears, and razor sharp teeth belonging to a castumi, a demon gifted with invisibility. The fae stared at the demon and put all her focus and attention on the creature to hold it in corporeal form as long as possible.

Before the demon could disappear and flee again, Oriel reached into her pants' pocket. She grabbed the dagger Lucifer gave her and threw it at the demon. The knife hit the creature directly between the eyes. After letting out a short ear piercing screech, the being dissolved and the dagger fell to the floor with a clatter. "I guess it is a good thing he stuck around, I almost forgot to return your dagger," Oriel told Maze.

The fae slowly turned around and looked up at Lucifer who now stood in the middle of the staircase. Her face remained expressionless as their eyes met. Oriel's voice sounded inside his head as her eyes flared at him with a teal light, "Like I said, watch your back." Then, as suddenly as she arrived in his penthouse, she disappeared.


	21. Chapter 21

"You dare set one of your lackeys on me?" Lucifer asked loudly as he descended the rest of the way down the staircase into the bar.

"He was only there to watch; he would not have harmed you," Maze told him.

"And this?" the devil asked and slammed the curved blade that Oriel had given him down on the bar. "This does not have eyes to watch."

"Where did you get that?" the bartender questioned cautiously her eyes wide.

Lucifer stared back at her intently and arched an eyebrow.

" _He_ gave it to you?" Maze asked not quite wanting to believe that Amenadiel had given Lucifer the knife. When the devil remained quiet, she went on to mutter in a lower voice, "Double crossing… worse than a demon."

"Yes, he is," he agreed finally breaking his silence.

"I knew I shouldn't trust an angel," Maze said voicing her thoughts aloud.

"Amenadiel did not give it to me," Lucifer revealed with a gleam in his eye at getting her to admit she had been conspiring with his brother.

"But you agreed…," the demon bartender replied.

"That he was worse than a demon?" the devil inquired. "I was referring to Blasius. You remember him…he was one of your favorites."

Maze nodded affirmatively but said nothing. Now that she realized Lucifer knew she had given one of her weapons to his brother, her eyes were beginning to fill with trepidation.

"My dearest brother, with whom it seems you have become well acquainted, gave this to him." Lucifer explained. "Oriel returned it to me after it was used to attack her."

"Lucifer, I never intended it being used to harm her," Maze tried reasoning with him. Although she cared little for Oriel, the demon knew he would not take kindly to the fae being harmed.

"So you intended it to be used to send me back to Hell?" the devil asked, making the inference both from what the demon had voiced aloud and left unspoken.

"That isn't what I said," Maze protested loudly.

"You didn't have to. There is that small matter about actions speaking louder than words," Lucifer told her. Although his voice remained calm and controlled, his eyes began to glow with a red light.

"It's not what you think," she began to say. Lucifer stopped her protest.

"You realize Oriel was correct? All you had to do was leave if you wanted," he told her with a controlled calmness before roaring. "I trusted you with everything…and this is what I get in return. You have your chance to leave now before I rethink my generosity."

The devil then turned and quickly climbed the staircase to leave.

Lucifer returned to the penthouse and paced back and forth for a few minutes silently fuming. He ended up shaking his head in frustration as he realized that Oriel had been right in her assumptions all along.

"Stop and think about what you are about to do," Michael called to Lucifer from the penthouse balcony. The angel had been sent by their father to try and intervene with the devil's plan to confront Amenadiel.

"Well, if it isn't the voice of reason. Go away!" the devil declared as he drained the drink he had poured himself.

"Lucifer, I am serious," Michael said and walked inside. "Father may not forgive you."

"Maybe he will ban me from Hell for my actions. Seems every cloud _does_ have a silver lining," Lucifer said sarcastically. "Will forgive Amenadiel for plotting to kill me?"

"I can't answer that, and you were not killed," the angel pointed out.

"The only reason I wasn't killed is because Oriel seemed an easier target, and letting Blasius deal with her gave our brother a way to keep his hands almost clean," the devil replied bitterly as he poured another drink and walked towards the balcony.

"Yes, unfortunately Oriel got caught in the mix. She did provide quite a diversion though." Michael related and followed his brother back outside.

"A diversion?" Lucifer said slowly. The implication of the angel's words incensed him. He glared at Michael angrily. "You used her as a distraction."

"I had nothing to do with it, no matter what you might think," Michael objected.

"You could have stepped in and stopped her – or prevented the whole thing," the devil challenged.

"It is not our place to interfere," his brother told him earnestly.

"I don't think Amenadiel got that memo," Lucifer said after a mocking laugh.

"Being earthbound, she could've walked away at any time. She has free will, and Oriel chose to stay and fight," the angel reminded him.

"You do realize that she would never break her promise to fight fair even against Blasius. Had I not given her the dagger, Oriel very well could have died," the devil pronounced.

"Good thing you aren't the devil everyone thinks you are," Michael said matter-of-factly as Lucifer turned away from his brother. "The situation with Oriel is unfortunate but she survived."

"Yes, the cuts and bruises she received will heal quickly. Then she will be left with the memories…again," the devil said in a low, controlled voice as he stared out over the city. Not only did Lucifer know every detail of Blasius' actions towards the fae, but he also knew the anguish that had lingered in Oriel for years afterward because of it. "I suppose that is acceptable to you…and our father?"

"You've spoken with her?" Michael demanded disregarding the devil's question. "I cannot believe Oriel agrees with what you're about to do."

"She is not aware of my intentions," Lucifer shook his head as he began to regret what he had said to her earlier. "We argued."

"You argued?" Michael repeated.

"Yes, we argued. She left," the devil retorted and turned back around to face his brother.

"What did you say now?" the angel inquired with exasperation.

"Does it matter?" Lucifer said to him as the look on Oriel's face right before she left the penthouse flashed in the devil's mind.

"Next time, try saying I'm sorry – and mean it for once," his angelic brother told him sternly.

"There isn't going to be a next time," the devil revealed somewhat quietly.

"What are you saying?" Michael asked.

"She made herself clear; she is done with me," The devil admitted to his brother. "Oriel is gone – home, I would assume."

"And you're just going to accept that? After one thousand years?" Michael demanded. He knew that Lucifer and Oriel had often gotten in heated arguments. Both were stubborn and the fae generally refused to give in to the devil's whims, but neither had ever gotten so upset as to never speak or see each other again.

"In case you forgot, where the aos sí dwell is banned to me – and you," Lucifer told him coolly.

"There are ways. You have a binding with her – or did she remove it?" the angel muttered not bothering to disguise the anger that was building in him. Oriel was the only being that came close to getting through to Lucifer occasionally. His brother angering her was one thing; not trying to rectify whatever he had done or said was another.

"Are we done? I have an angel I need to see," the devil inquired harshly. Lucifer was not about to be distracted from his plans by trying to contact Oriel. He was certain there would be time for that later.

"Lucifer, do not do this," Michael implored his brother.

"If you're so concerned, stop me," Lucifer declared. "Oh, that's right, it's not your place to interfere – unless Dad tells you to."

####

Michael walked into pub near the Tor that he had frequented with Oriel in the past. He spied her sitting alone in a corner swirling the shadows that fell on the table. He was acutely aware of the other patrons watching him with curiosity as he walked over to her where she sat. "I thought I would find you at the ruins," Michael said and sat down.

"Not today," Oriel said and took a large swallow from the pint glass in front of her.

"I didn't take you for the drinking away your sorrow type," Michael told her as she looked up at him. The fae then quickly glanced around and realized that the angel had slowed time around them so they could speak in private.

"Ice cream isn't my thing," she informed him. "And, I'm not sad. I'm mad – really mad."

"Lucifer tends to do that to people. You know that – better than most I would say," he answered glibly.

"Don't make excuses for him. He's a big boy who knows exactly what he does and what he says," Oriel said crossly. "I hope you aren't here to apologize for him. that to peopleglass in front of her. nter the game. "

"I'm not," the angel assured her.

"Good! You know Lucifer thinks that I have a thing for you or you have a thing for me," she snapped at him and then went on to mutter, "Does he think I haven't learned my lesson? Never speak to anything with wings – especially if they appear in front of you unannounced."

"Oriel, Lucifer is rash, intentionally tactless, and suddenly has developed a case of human jealousy," Michael said slowly after her rant. "And I'm not telling you anything you don't already know." He was deterred from continuing by the exasperated look reflected on her face and eyes that were beginning to glow.

After a short uncomfortable silence, the angel continued, "Lucifer has gone to confront Amenadiel."

"Teaming up with the devil's demon is probably not the best idea he's ever had," Oriel replied succinctly.

"Amenadiel acted recklessly without giving much thought to the outcome," the angel conceded.

"Now you're making excuses for him, too," she grumbled, clearly irritated. Oriel involuntarily brushed her bangs from in front of her eyes as was her habit. Mid-movement, she caught herself and took a sudden breath and held it for a second or two before exhaling. She had forgotten herself and used her injured arm.

"You could have someone heal that," Michael told her as he pointed to her arm.

"For the most part all that's left is the pain and I think it's better _I_ don't forget about the outcome of all this for a while," Oriel replied. "Besides, I already know what they would say when they found out the cause."

"They only want you to be safe, Oriel," the angel told her while contemplating what she had said. "Speaking of safe, with his bouts of mortality Lucifer may not make it through a fight with Amenadiel."

"Then maybe you should go swoop in and save him instead of sitting here talking to me," she stated brashly and stared intently at him.

"How many of those have you had?" the angel asked and pointed at the near-empty pint glass.

"Not nearly enough," she quickly replied with sass. While she may not have had the tolerance of an angel, or devil, Oriel was nowhere near drunk and the conversation with Michael had killed any pleasant fuzzy feeling she may have been beginning to feel. "I totally understand the import of what you're saying. Lucifer may end up back in Hell – which is where everyone wanted him. Or has something changed?"

Michael studied Oriel from across the small table hoping to figure out a way to change her mood. She stared back just as intently trying to deduce what part, if any, Lucifer had played in the angel's sudden appearance. "He would not be allowed out for side trips," he told her.

"I understand that also. My ability to travel is not dependent on the devil," Oriel assured him.

"You're really done with him," he said. The words came out more as a statement than the question it was originally intended to be. It suddenly dawned on the angel that she was as serious in being done with Lucifer as he had said.

"Yep," she told him confidently. "He's changed. Lucifer never lived up to the devil of legend with me, until today. His words and actions have consequences; it's time he experiences that firsthand."

"Oriel, those consequences affect more than Lucifer. _You_ just experienced it yourself. If Lucifer does not return to Hell of his own accord, it will be worse than it is now. His anger and resentment will know no bounds. What becomes of the humans and their world?" Michael told her with concern filling his voice. Oriel was raised by humans and lived among them a good part of her life and the angel hoped to appeal the side of her that appreciated them and their world.

"My home does not exist in the human world," Oriel stated. Despite her slight shrug of disinterest, the angel noted she suddenly stared off into the distance.

"Whose side are you on?" he demanded of her.

"My own," she shot back as she looked at Michael directly. "Being attacked with a demonic weapon because an angel has anger issues tends to make you see things in a different light."

"Oriel…," Michael began.

"Not good enough for you?" Oriel asked sharply not allowing him to finish his thought. All the hurt caused by her confrontation with the devil came pouring out, "How about this…Lucifer's words cut me deeper than Mazikeen's blade. If you're expecting me to run and rescue him, I'll pass. Do it yourself."

Michael was surprised and unprepared for her seeming indifference. He had never seen this side of Oriel before. She always readily acknowledged the devil's flaws but never held them against him. He wondered what exactly his brother had said to her to bring about this change. The angel then decided to try a different approach and proceeded to tell Oriel of Lucifer's concern during her fight with Blasius.

"Is that supposed to change my mind?" Oriel asked the angel when he finished talking. She appeared impassive and unimpressed with the tale.

"I know my brother can be difficult and has obviously hurt you to an extent I never would have imagined. You deserved to know this side of him, too and I'm not sure Lucifer would ever own up to it," Michael reasoned.

"In a decade or two, he would. He'd be very proud of himself for it, too," Oriel told Michael. A slight smile formed on her lips as she thought back over her time with Lucifer.

"Believe me when I tell you, Lucifer regrets what he said to you," the angel said to her sincerely and watched as Oriel rolled her eyes. "It's no wonder you two get along so well. You are as trying as he is."

The fae chuckled before saying anything. When she did speak she did so thoughtfully, "I don't know if I can forgive and forget this time, Michael, or if I even want to."

"Oriel, I can only delay Lucifer for so long," Michael said seriously. "I've tried talking to him and have gotten nowhere; you may be the only one who can stop him. Think about it. Please."


	22. Chapter 22

Chloe had been trying – and failing – to get in touch with Lucifer for most of the day and by the afternoon she had decided to go to Lux to try and find him. Not finding Lucifer in the club, the detective went up to the penthouse, looked around the main room and found it empty. A few seconds later, she heard a rustling coming from out on the balcony. Unsure of what she would find, Chloe cautiously walked towards the area being sure to make some noise as she went. Suddenly, the cop found herself face to face with Oriel. To the detective's eyes, the other woman looked remarkably well for someone who had appeared to be seriously injured and lost a significant amount of blood recently.

"Oriel?!" Chloe exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"It was a spur of the moment decision," Oriel said opting not to reveal that she had just arrived on the balcony about the same time Chloe walked into the penthouse.

After a bit of reflection while sitting at the pub, Oriel changed her mind in regards to dealing with Lucifer. Michael had hit a soft spot when referring to the possible ramifications on the humans and their world. Unlike elder aos sí, she had never lived in the Silver City. Oriel was an aberration: born to humans, raised by humans, and an aos sí who enjoyed watching time pass and change in the human world, despite the pain it brought her at times.

She also wanted Lucifer to live and be able to make his own decision about returning to Hell. Oriel knew the last thing the world needed was an irate devil in charge of hordes of mostly malevolent demons. In the end, Oriel decided that she could try to talk Lucifer out of a foolish clash with his brother even if she wasn't ready to forgive him for what he had said to her.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asked as Oriel stepped into the living area.

"More or less. Why?" Oriel answered and looked at Chloe suspiciously. The devil hadn't mentioned that Chloe was with him at the villa when he spoke with her earlier in the day. As for Oriel's injured arm, aside from a slight burning and a faint scar that remained, the cut was healed.

"Lucifer showed me your shirt when we were at the villa," the detective explained.

"Oh…it was just a scratch," Oriel assured the detective hoping to downplay the incident.

"It looked like it was worse than that," Chloe said peering closely at the red-haired woman.

The fae shrugged in return. Explaining what had occurred in the forest and answering the subsequent questions would take much more time than she could give at the moment.

"Lucifer doesn't seem to be here," Chloe told Oriel.

"Yes, I know," Oriel replied quickly much to Chloe's amazement and then asked, "You haven't seen him at all today?"

"No," the detective said. She went on to tell Oriel, "The last time I saw him was at the villa when he was looking for you. He seemed concerned."

"We spoke this morning. He's not concerned about me any longer, trust me," the fae replied as she recalled their words to each other.

"Do you know where Lucifer is now? I've been trying to get in touch with him all day," the detective pressed.

"He's probably about to get himself killed," Oriel related evenly.

"And you're not worried about it? Don't you think we should be helping him or trying to stop him?" Chloe asked and started walking back towards the elevator.

"Me? Yes. _You_ can't help him with this," the fae stressed to the detective.

"Why not?" Chloe questioned angrily and gave Oriel an impatient look. The fae had followed Chloe as far as the bar and stopped.

"You're human," Oriel answered shortly as she looked up and down the bar. Mazikeen's weapon that she had placed there earlier was gone and the fae hoped it was the demon who had it and not Lucifer.

"Here we go again," the detective replied shaking her head. "I'm human; he's the devil, and you're something else."

"Glad to see you're finally catching on," Oriel muttered to the cop and then forced a smile. She knew arguing wouldn't help things. "You have no idea what you're dealing with, Chloe."

"And you do?" Chloe questioned.

"Yes, though I'm not sure I can stop Lucifer at this point," the fae stated with an impatient nod and walked quickly back towards the balcony. "From what I understand he's angry and determined, and after our conversation this morning probably less than willing to hear me out."

"You don't seem totally on board about helping him," the cop pointed out.

"I am trying to help but there isn't time for explanations right now. You're going to have to trust me," Oriel declared. "Chloe, go home and make sure Trixie is safe."

"But why?" Chloe asked wanting some sort of explanation from Oriel.

"Because if I can't talk some sense into Lucifer, I don't know what will happen," Oriel obscurely explained. She knew the detective still did not believe that Lucifer was the devil and attempting to explain that he was willing to fight to the death with one of his angelic brothers would be met with Chloe's unbridled skepticism at the very least.

"Well, that explains everything," Chloe replied sarcastically.

"Chloe…please trust me on this," Oriel implored the detective.

"Fine…for now," Chloe answered and walked towards the elevator. "Are you coming?"

The detective was met with total silence in return. Seconds later, Chloe turned around only to find herself looking at an empty room. Oriel was nowhere to be seen.

Undeterred by his brother's pleas to reconsider his plans, Lucifer drove to the beach where he first arrived with the intention of confronting Amenadiel. He tossed his jacket into the Corvette and walked towards the water determined to deal with his brother.

Hoping that Oriel would change her mind about speaking with Lucifer, Michael had delayed the meeting between the devil and Amenadiel. With Michael's interference, Lucifer began to doubt his powers. Every time he placed his hands together and called on Amenadiel nothing happened.

The devil looked out over the water and walked along the sand just far enough up the beach that the water didn't hit his shoes. In addition to being slightly irate to find that Maze had helped Amenadiel, he was now generally annoyed that he could not even call on his brother. Oriel materialized on the beach behind the devil and hoped he would speak with her.

"Lucifer!" she called, her voice almost completely drowned out by the waves rushing to the shoreline.

Although he heard her, Lucifer kept walking and ignored the fae.

"Lucifer, stop," she shouted undeterred and ran to catch up to him. Oriel carefully looked the devil over and noted that he was only wearing shirt and pants. She could discern no weapon on him and hoped that she was correct in her assumption.

The devil slowly turned around and said cuttingly, "Are you lost? You no longer have my back. 'Drive Lucifer insane. Just leave me out of it.' Remember?"

"Everything isn't always about you," she said curtly in return.

"Why else would you be here?" he asked haughtily with narrowed eyes.

"Humans," Oriel told him plainly which caused his eyes to glow a bit. When Lucifer opened his mouth to say something she quickly continued, "I don't want to fight with you anymore, Lucifer. I also don't want you to die and there's a good chance of that if you continue with this folly."

"How do you know I'm not here for a walk along the beach?" he asked as he began moving again.

"Your reflective moods are few and far between. This isn't one of them," Oriel said gently as she walked alongside of the devil.

"My eldest brother is using you. Again," Lucifer declared and came to a sudden halt.

"It was my decision to find you here. No one else's," Oriel calmly avowed as she looked directly into his eyes. She then beseeched the devil, "Don't do this."

"This is what I do. Punish those who deserve it," he reminded her. "Amenadiel deserves it."

"Let your father handle him," she tried to reason.

"My father?" Lucifer asked in contempt. "Our father tends not to handle anything."

The devil pressed his hands together and tried calling on Amenadiel again partially expecting nothing to happen. Oriel watched silently, the frustration she was feeling evident on her face.

"I take it you've changed your mind about returning to Hell?" Amenadiel asked when he appeared a few feet in front of Lucifer and Oriel. "Looks like the aos sí does have some influence over the devil after all."

"I am not returning to Hell," Lucifer stated and shot a questioning glance over at Oriel.

"Whether Lucifer stays or goes, it is his decision; I'm done getting caught in the middle of this family battle," Oriel declared and met the angel's stony stare with her own. She then looked at Lucifer with a sorrowful expression, shook her head slightly, and walked away from the brothers.

"Then why am I here?" Amenadiel asked Lucifer angrily.

"I would think it would be obvious," the devil replied. "Angels are supposed to do what they're told."

"Since when do you listen?" the angel inquired, his voice full of contempt.

"I don't. Never did, never will; that's old news," Lucifer said impudently. "I was referring to you."

"What did I do?" Amenadiel asked.

"It's more of what you didn't do," Lucifer told him. "You were tasked with keeping charge of Hell, that includes keeping all the residents inside – not helping them to escape."

"I did not help anyone escape," the angel protested.

"You certainly didn't prevent it," the devil countered.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. Are you honestly upset about any of this, Luci or does it only bother you because that one was involved?" Amenadiel asked with tilt of his head towards Oriel who stood watching and listening a few feet off from them.

"If you want something done, it's usually best to do it yourself – whether that is getting me out of the way or returning your brother to Hell," Oriel called out to the angel.

"You still haven't learned your place. Just because my brother…um…appreciates your company doesn't mean the rest of us see you as anything but a recurring nuisance," Amenadiel told her boldly.

The devil, still angry over Michael referring to Oriel as a distraction, was further incensed by Amenadiel's words. Before Oriel could respond, Lucifer charged and tackled Amenadiel to the sand. The angel was ready for him and flung Lucifer backwards; Oriel cringed as Lucifer hit the sand with a thud. The fae prudently kept her distance and let the brothers fight it out. As their mutual anger and frustration came to an apex, both Amenadiel and Lucifer landed punches as they scrapped on the beach. After a few minutes, Oriel gathered her power and caused a wave to crash over the pair. Startled by water, the brothers stopped fighting, looked up the beach at her, and slowly got up, out of breath and bruised.

"If anyone else was guarding Hell, we wouldn't be here, would we?" Oriel asked Amenadiel.

"What are you implying Oriel?" the angel questioned in return trying to compose himself.

"I'm _saying_ that your pride is hurt," she stated. "Hell may be good enough for your brother – after all, he is the miscreant of all miscreants, but you're _so_ much better than that."

"I am better than that…and better than him," Amenadiel shouted loudly. "Father charged me with getting him back where he belongs."

"Since when does your father condone making deals with demons?" Oriel countered and paused, waiting for his answer.

"I did what I thought was necessary. Ephialtes is harmless," the angel told her.

"And Mazikeen? Were your very personal dealings with her also necessary?" the fae challenged.

Amenadiel hesitated but the expression on his face revealed the answer before he said a word.

"Well brother, in your eagerness you may have gained yourself a new _permanent_ residence," Lucifer declared as he stood with shirt slightly askew. "Feel free to redecorate as you like but I will warn you that the neighbors are generally loud and uncooperative."

Still frustrated and angry with his brother, Amenadiel unfurled his wings in fury and moved them to strike at Lucifer. Oriel, who had remained a few feet away from the brothers during the discussion, saw what the angel intended before Lucifer took notice. Knowing she couldn't make up the distance by running, Oriel suddenly reappeared at the devil's side and gave him a shove. As Lucifer stumbled and tried not to fall to the sand again, Oriel ended up being impaled by the angel's wing. When Amenadiel quickly pulled his wing back, a knife-like feather remained in her side. Oriel cried out in pain and dropped to the sand.

When Amenadiel realized what he had done, he slowly backed away an expression of shock on his face. His dark eyes were filled with fear as they met Lucifer's, which were now bright red. The devil went to run at his brother again as he experienced the searing pain Oriel was feeling from the angel's wing feather. Amenadiel quickly took flight as the fae managed to grab on to Lucifer's pant leg with one hand while the other held her side where the feather had pierced her.

"I need to…get to him," Lucifer protested as he felt her tugging even though the devil knew he couldn't follow his brother.

"Don't leave," Oriel pleaded haltingly. The sound of her voice caused him to look down at her.

"Why did you do it?" he asked her.

"A devil…and his quest for…free will," She said in short bursts due to the pain and closed her eyes.

"Oriel, open your eyes," Lucifer said as he knelt beside her and pressed a hand against the wound to slow the bleeding. The fae slowly and with effort opened her eyes. She looked up at the devil with her eyes barely gleaming with teal light.

"He wasn't going to give you a choice," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

The devil looked down at his hand that was now stained with her blood. "I can't heal this," he said despondently. Lucifer could feel her getting weaker and as she did their bond was fading leaving an emptiness in him where her presence used to be.

"Me either," Oriel tried to joke. She then admitted quietly, "Lucifer…I'm scared."

Not knowing what else to do or say at that moment, he went to remove the feather from her side with his free hand.

"No," she protested in a weak voice. "Let me stay…with you…as long…as I can."

"Oriel, I…I," the devil said, not able to get any other words out.

"I know," she murmured.

"You know?" he asked in wide-eyed surprise.

Oriel managed a nod and closed her eyes again. "Still angry with you though," she whispered.

Lucifer could now barely feel her presence inside him but despite the seriousness of the situation, her words and stubbornness brought a small smile to the devil's lips as he remembered all their previous verbal sparring.

"Father," Lucifer roared out with all his being as the emptiness seemed to take over him.

Back at Chloe's house, the detective sat with Trixie on the sofa reading a book. Although it was a clear day, they could hear a rumble of thunder in the distance. Instead of fading over time, it grew stronger and louder seeming to come closer. The noise caused Trixie to cling to her mother, as Chloe looked around frightened and tried to assure the child – and herself – that everything was okay.


	23. Chapter 23

"Lucifer, I'm really getting tired of Father having me save your wings and every other part," Michael muttered angrily as he appeared in front of his brother. Realizing that Lucifer was on his knees on the sand, the angel looked down and saw the devil was holding Oriel in his arms.

"Oriel," Michael said in a whisper. The fae appeared extremely pale and lifeless; even her fiery hair that usually caught the light seemed dull and faded.

"Do something," Lucifer demanded as his brother crouched down next to him. Now that he was up close, the angel noticed the feather jutting out of Oriel's side and the blood on the devil's hands. Michael also saw that Lucifer's eyes were filled with fear and his face exhibited uncharacteristic anguish.

"She was struck by an angel's wing. I'm not sure there's anything anyone can do," the angel replied matter-of-factly as he looked down at Oriel.

"Then why did father send you?" Lucifer inquired coldly. "I doubt it was to see what you have wrought."

"I did _not_ cause this," Michael protested. "If anyone is responsible, it's you."

"If you want to be angry with me, fine. Blame me and hate me if you will, but Oriel is still alive," the devil replied sharply. "Help her."

"She is barely clinging to life," the angel countered. "What do you expect me to do?" Michael had planned on seeing Lucifer hurt or in the middle of a brawl with Amenadiel upon his arrival. He had never expected to find Oriel near death.

"Bloody hell. I expect you to stop arguing with me and do what you were sent here for," Lucifer snarled with eyes blazing.

Michael glared back at his brother and picked Oriel up out of the devil's arms. The angel stood up cradling her limp body with care and unfurled his wings. Michael did not get involved in the lives of earth-dwelling creatures unless ordered to. The angel wasn't sure if trying to save an aos sí was what his father had intended when he sent him but he would now find out.

"Where are you taking her?" Lucifer asked as Michael rose into the air carrying Oriel. The only reply he received was the sound of wings in the distance.

#####

After Michael flew off with Oriel, Lucifer returned to Lux and quickly went up to the penthouse. As soon as he emerged from the elevator, he took off his jacket, stripped off his shirt, and tossed it aside. After re-dressing, the devil sat down in a leathered upholstered chair with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other staring at his bloodstained shirt which had landed nearby.

Lucifer wondered where Michael had taken Oriel. The devil could still feel the slightest bit of her power within him and assumed she was still alive. However, the void surrounding that lingering trace of her seemed to be growing and caused an uncomfortable and unfamiliar emptiness in him.

The penthouse elevator opened and Chloe suddenly appeared jarring Lucifer from his introspection. The detective had decided to try to find Lucifer and Oriel once the ominous thunder ceased and Trixie had been safely dropped off with her father.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to call you for hours. Is Oriel here?" she rattled off.

Lucifer picked up his head to look at her and the detective drew a breath; his face was slightly bruised from his encounter with Amenadiel and his expression drawn and filled with worry.

Spying the bloodstained shirt strewn on an adjacent chair she asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," he pronounced and crushed out the cigarette.

"Oriel?" Chloe questioned again since she didn't see or hear the fae in the penthouse.

"She is with my brother," Lucifer told her honestly and drained his glass. He saw no point in trying to explain to the detective the entirety of what had happened.

"Your brother?" Chloe asked dubiously.

"Yes," as the devil answered time seemed to slow around him. Lucifer turned to see Michael entering the room from the balcony.

"Well?" Lucifer asked his brother as he stood up. He bent to look around the angel and towards the balcony expecting to see Oriel standing there.

"I did all I could," Michael replied somberly.

"All you could?" Lucifer questioned angrily. His dark eyes demanded more of an answer.

"She has not awakened. The way she was when I took her is the way the fae remains," the angel explained to his brother. Michael watched the devil look away and his face fall as he took in the news.

"I don't understand it either, but I am not about to ask Father," Michael said gently and then inquired. "Are you coming?"

"What?" Lucifer asked and focused his attention back to Michael and away from thoughts of the fae.

"I thought you might want to see Oriel. She did take an angel's feather for you, after all," Michael said. The angel then looked towards Chloe and continued, "If you have other plans…"

Lucifer's eyes flashed red for a split second before he suppressed his anger and told his brother evenly, "Give me a minute."

The angel walked back out to the balcony while Lucifer explained to Chloe that he had received an urgent call from his brother and needed to meet him immediately.

#####

"It's about time," a voice said as Oriel slowly opened her eyes. When her vision focused, she saw a familiar face that went with the voice. It was Mael, another aos sí who was gifted in healing. Oriel realized that she was no longer on the California beach but home and in her own bed. Almost immediately, she began trying to sit up.

"I wouldn't do that," Mael warned and watched Oriel wince in pain a few seconds later as she disregarded his warning.

"I would imagine that you're going to be sore for a time," said another voice that Oriel knew well. She turned her head to see Michael sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the large bed. The angel smiled broadly and Oriel quickly looked down to make sure the bedsheet was still covering her.

"How long have I been here?" Oriel asked aloud. She proceeded to attempt sitting up again, ignoring the advice she had been given. This time she braced herself for the pain, only to find that tactic didn't help much in alleviating the discomfort.

Michael swiftly got up from his seat and readjusted the pillows behind Oriel as he shook his head at her stubbornness. "Almost two days. Everyone's been very concerned," he told her. As the angel tried to make Oriel comfortable, Mael slipped out of the room and went to tell the others that she had finally opened her eyes.

"When did the rules change to allow angels on this side?" Oriel inquired as her eyes slowly brightened in her extremely pale face.

"You have more influence than you think. Turning up with you in my arms gained me immediate access," the angel told her.

"No one here could heal me without your help. What exactly did you do?" Oriel said bluntly while looking at the angel. She had felt the darkness overtaking her on the beach as life drained from her and Oriel knew that without divine assistance she would no longer be alive.

"Their abilities were critical," Michael assured her as he avoided her question. He was not ready to tell Oriel exactly what had gone into her healing. The fae watched him closely and allowed the angel to side step the question for the moment.

"And Lucifer?" she inquired. Now fully alert, the events on the beach had come flooding back. Oriel could only hope the devil hadn't done anything rash, like going after Amenadiel.

"Lucifer is his usual imperious, impetuous, and egotistical self. You can ask him yourself while I go assure everyone you're fine," Michael advised her. He then leaned in close with an amused smile on his face and whispered, "You may want to go easy on him, he hasn't slept since I brought him here."

"Two days without sleep?" Oriel asked. When the angel nodded in response, she added brashly, "You realize that's what your brother does every weekend?"

"Oriel," Michael said in mild reprimand before leaving her.

Lucifer was pacing the length of Oriel's sitting area turning a large piece of amber he had found on a table over and over in his hands. He had spent most of the past two days in this manner after initially looking in on Oriel to reassure himself that she was alive. Lucifer's pacing alternated with bouts of sitting in a chair and barely moving aside from hazarding an occasional glance towards her bedroom.

Michael gave the devil a nod as he exited Oriel's bedroom confirming that Oriel was awake. Lucifer placed the amber down and absently straightened his collar before entering the bedroom.

"Sleeping beauty awakens…no kiss needed after all," Lucifer said from the doorway.

"Were you volunteering?" Oriel inquired. "The devil as Prince Charming puts a whole new spin on things…and is a surprising improvement to the original story."

"I have been referred to as the Prince of Darkness on occasion and I _am_ undeniably charming," he replied with a smile as he walked further into the room.

"Care to guess which half of that statement is correct?" the fae said drolly.

"I see your tongue came through unscathed," he told her with an arched eyebrow.

"It's about the only thing that doesn't hurt. Angel feather trumps demon blade pain wise, in case you were wondering," Oriel disclosed.

"I wasn't," Lucifer stated as he met her eyes and quickly looked away.

"Stirring up trouble with angels and escaped damned souls…I suppose my reputation as a hellion is assured now," she mused with a wry smile.

"I prefer to see you as spirited and tenacious…albeit rather vexing," he told her.

Oriel brightened as she considered his words and looked the devil up and down, "You're looking a little worse for wear."

Lucifer was decidedly unkempt; his jacket was nowhere to be seen and an extra button was undone on the shirt placket. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up unevenly and a rumpled shirt tail hung out in front. He moved to tuck it in as he followed her eyes.

"This is not the most comfortable place to be. They need to let bygones be bygones and get over it already," he rather vaguely explained to her as he stood by the side of the bed.

"You're right, it's silly to be upset with someone over something that happened eons ago," she replied with a challenging and unflinching look.

"My brother tells me you will make a full recovery," the devil said ignoring her remark and changing the subject.

"He didn't tell me that. I'm afraid to look," Oriel said and pulled the sheet down. An unknown aos sí had crafted a bandeau top and a short bottom white as starlight to protect her modesty – not that Oriel was concerned about that with Lucifer. The bandage on her torso glistened with the same light as the clothing Oriel was wearing.

"Is it bad?" she asked. After slight hesitation and with a distinct look of distaste on his face, Lucifer pulled a corner of the bandage away from her skin and cautiously peered underneath.

"I think you'll be fine. It's amazing what a little divine intervention can do," the devil declared and proceeded to remove the rest of the bandage somewhat haphazardly causing Oriel to grimace.

The fae looked down at the bruise and gingerly touched the area. An inquiry into what amount of divine intervention had gone into her recovery was put on hold by Mael coming back into the bedroom.

"That's looking much better," he said upon seeing the bandage had been removed. The aos sí then shot a disparaging glance at Lucifer.

Oriel could see Lucifer's jaw set and temper start to flare. Before the devil could respond she quickly interjected, "Am I allowed to eat?"

"Of course. I'll see what I can find," the Mael answered.

"For two, Mael," Oriel said. The stern look on her face effectively ended any reproach that may have crossed the other aos sí's mind.

"There's a bottle over on the bookshelf you really should try if you haven't already," Oriel told Lucifer. As she pointed in the direction across the bedroom she winced at the movement.

"It would hurt less if you move less," the devil told her with impish delight in his eyes and on his face. He walked over and picked up a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve whiskey from a shelf where it sat with two glasses.

"Thanks for the tip, Dr. Morningstar," Oriel answered acerbically.

"When did you stop appreciating my bedside manner?" he asked startled by her tone. She stared back at him silently. Although she was happy that Lucifer was there, Oriel was still upset with what he had said to her during their argument.

"I can remove it, you know. You will be free of me and my tongue," she finally told him referring to their binding as she involuntarily rubbed a spot just beneath her collarbone where his presence resided. Since opening her eyes, Oriel had consciously restrained her power closing herself off from everyone including Lucifer.

"You appear to need someone to keep an eye on you…and I rather like your tongue," he said with a sly sideways glance followed by a slight shake of his head negating her suggestion. Oriel's eyes flashed brightly as she unleashed her power and she watched the devil surreptitiously smile as her familiar essence overtook the emptiness in him.

When Lucifer offered her the glass he poured she declined with a shake of her head. "I think I'll try food first." she told him.

"You're holding out on me, Oriel – in more ways than one," Lucifer said after taking a sip and looking at the bottle with admiration.

"Why do I think you're not entirely talking about the whiskey?" she asked wide-eyed and gestured for him to sit on the bed.

"Two glasses and an open bottle of whiskey in your bedroom. Add that to Mael not being very pleased with my presence, one begins to wonder," the devil replied as he sat down next to her.

"You aren't going to start that again? Except for myself, I would guess that no one is pleased with your – or Michael's – presence," Oriel stated calmly. "As for there being two glasses…maybe I always hoped you'd show up here."

"Which leads us to the next item," he said. "Here."

"Here?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Here, Oriel. All of this," Lucifer said and gestured around the room and beyond. The land of the aos sí mirrored the land around the Tor. While the exteriors of the dwellings that dotted the landscape appeared centuries old, the interiors were updated to their resident's tastes thanks to innate magic. Oriel's quaint home held treasures she had collected from her visits on the human side of the world.

"I don't understand," she answered.

"You don't understand? Are you not the fae that seeks out caves, clearings, and mountainsides to sleep?" the devil asked seriously.

"Lucifer, you didn't really think I lived in a cave for all these centuries, did you?" Oriel asked with bright eyes as she stifled a laugh knowing it would hurt.

"Considering that you were not living in a cave when I first happened upon you, no. But this is a bit more than I imagined," he said and touched the silk sheet.

"This is nowhere near your penthouse; I'm just a simple girl," she replied.

"You are far from simple, Oriel," Mael said as he walked into the bedroom carrying a tray with two plates of food. He placed the tray on a side table and looked pointedly at Lucifer.

"I do believe he was referring to me," Lucifer said when Mael left the room.

Oriel just shrugged. "Not everyone has these sheets," she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

The devil picked up the tray and placed it on the bed near Oriel. He then handed her a fork and gestured for her to start eating. Once Lucifer saw Oriel take a few small bites, he picked up the other fork and began eating.

From the bedroom doorway, Michael cleared his throat. He had been standing there unobtrusively for some time watching and not wanting to interrupt. The angel knew Lucifer had been deeply affected by Oriel's dire situation and needed the time to convince himself of her well-being.

"Now that you're recovering, we must go," the angel said stepping into the room. "I've thanked the aos sí for their assistance and hospitality – as should you."

Lucifer reluctantly got up from the bed and looked upward at his brother's words.

"Can't you wait until morning? We need to talk," Oriel said to Lucifer while glowering at the angel. She wanted answers on what had happened to her since being wounded on the beach.

"Yes, we do, but not right now," Lucifer responded. "Things have changed and I need to go."

"Go where? What's changed?" Oriel demanded and looked back and forth between Lucifer and Michael.

"Back to Lux, of course," the devil replied. He paused and looked at her curiously, "Oriel, surely you don't think? I – AM NOT – returning to Hell; that much is certain."

"What's so important at Lux?" Oriel pressed. She knew she wasn't getting the whole truth from Lucifer or his angelic brother.

"Lucifer, we need to leave," Michael interjected and tossed the devil's suit jacket at him. The angel's words caused Oriel to shoot another scathing glance in his direction.

"Now is not the time, peri fae," he said leaning in close to her and brushing his fingers just below her collarbone. "Once you heal and get your strength back, we will talk."


End file.
